Therapy Sessions
by yammdere
Summary: A collection of short stories about Athena Cykes and Simon Blackquill, which aim to answer a series of personal questions. What will the answers reveal about them? Updates weekends. [20. Treasure: Another late night at the prosecutor's office, featuring Simon, his box of memories, and a troublesome meddling rockstar.]
1. Mistake

**Title:** Mistake  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What is her worst flaw [according to you]? What does she think her worst flaw is?  
 **Characters:** Athena Cykes, Simon Blackquill  
 **Word Count:** 652  
 **Summary:** In hindsight, perhaps Simon wasn't the best person to call in her moment of weakness.  
 **Notes:** Spirit of Justice spoilers, but not major plot ones. Takes place before the civil trial against you-know-who in Turnabout Revolution.

* * *

"The wrong airport?"

Even Simon sounded surprised at this, and Athena flinched in embarrassment, barely clinging to her phone as she spoke. "I know," she gasped desperately, "I know. I'm the worst!"

"How long were you asleep?"

"I- I don't know," she admitted, with some hesitation.

"A security guard woke me up."

"Did you flip him?" he asked. He didn't miss a beat.

" _Simon!_ "

"It's a fair question." On his end of the line, Simon shrugged, though he was unable to hide the teasing smirk in his voice. Athena, who was normally the one with the jovial sense of humor, did not find it nearly as funny; but nevertheless, she conceded the point. Simon continued when she didn't protest. "My next one might be why you decided to call me instead of Wright-dono."

"I already called _Wright-dono_ ," she replied, more sharply than intended. He pointedly ignored her mocking use of the honorific. "He . . . got another ride. He's fine."

"Then I fail to see the problem."

Athena groaned in frustration. Of course he didn't get it, and yet—why did she decide to call him of all people, in that moment? She stopped then, presumably to catch her breath. There was no use in rushing anyway—by the time she made it back to Apollo and the others, the day would be over, and so would any of their investigations. "I'm just . . . such an airhead," she croaked miserably.

It wasn't often Athena humbled herself, or admitted her own faults. Since it didn't sound like she was done, Simon didn't say anything to encourage or discourage her.

"I could have double-checked his flight info?" she offered, for starters. "I could have confirmed the airport with him, but I just . . . didn't even think about that. I forgot. Or, I just _assumed_ —and I mean, did I really have to _fall asleep?_ I just can't believe—"

Oh, she was ranting now. Simon had that effect on her, she realized. Choking on her own words, she half-wondered if he'd already hung up on her, but of course, she could still hear him.

"You know, you can stop me any time."

"Oh?" He playfully considered the idea for a second, before the teasing continued. "And why would I do that, when you're right on all counts?" There was a beat, before he added under his breath: "For once."

Athena started to walk again, mouth open in protest. She closed it, opened it, and shut it all over again before words finally came out. "You've never comforted anybody in your whole life, have you?"

She wasn't sure herself whether she'd meant that to be rhetorical, or if she even meant it at all. She certainly didn't _intend_ to come off as callous or accusing, but regardless, Simon's non-answer pretty much told her what she needed to know: "Naturally, I thought that was your job."

". . . It is," she said, as if only just then remembering.

"Do you feel better?"

Athena thought about it. Her face still felt warm from all her running and embarrassment. Her throat was even getting a little sore, and yet she felt lighter somehow, talking openly about the mistake she made. She bit her lip, frustration lingering. "Yes."

"Good," Simon replied. Again, he no longer saw the problem. "Then come home. Eat something and laugh it off, as you always do. Rest, and—"

He stopped abruptly, and she hung on his word. Was he trying to bait her into prompting him for more? If so, it worked.

"And?"

"Don't be late tomorrow."

Athena sighed, but there was a smile behind it. The simplicity of his words was comforting, she supposed, and she had to appreciate that. She shook her head. "Yeah. I'd better not be," she began. Then it was Simon's turn to prompt her. "Because—"

"Because?"

She took a deep breath and twirled Widget in her fingers. "I get the feeling Apollo's going to need me."

* * *

 **A/N:** _Hey there! Amm here._

 _This is a project I decided to take on during the month of November 2016 for the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge. As you probably guessed, it will be a series of short stories that are (mostly) unconnected, but all center on Simon Blackquill, Athena Cykes, or both of them together. Each story aims to answer a question posed in the form of a prompt. Since the tone and nature of the questions vary, so will the stories . . . so I hope you enjoy the ride!_

 _I decided to pick something short and light-hearted to start off with. This one flowed fairly naturally and didn't fight me, so hopefully it reads well and puts a smile on your face. Let me know what you think? Comments/reviews are always welcome, positive or negative._

 _Either way, thanks for reading. 'til next time, and happy holidays!_


	2. Melting Ice

**Title:** Melting Ice  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What does he do when stress builds up?  
 **Characters:** Simon Blackquill, Athena Cykes  
 **Word Count:** 1,066  
 **Summary:** Athena always knew where she could find him. Taking him by surprise, however, was a different matter entirely.

* * *

The dojo was always quiet this time of the evening.

To no one's surprise, that also meant that it was Simon's favorite time to visit and train. You could even call it predictable, in a way: whenever he didn't show up for dinner, Athena could always find him there, swinging his katana around. Sometimes it was at a dummy; sometimes it was at nothing at all. Occasionally, very rarely, he had a training partner, but that night, he was the only one there.

It made it difficult to sneak up on him, to be sure, but she still got a good reaction when the floor creaked beneath her as she approached. She didn't think he noticed her. Just when she thought she had him, though, his hand jerked suddenly and she found herself met with the pointed end of his blade, only a couple inches away from her face.

Widget betrayed her brief moment of shock, but she otherwise smiled in greeting. It wasn't the first, and it wouldn't be the last time she would see eye-to-eye with his sword like this.

"Well, hello to you, too," she said, and she held up both her hands, as if in surrender. One of them had a plastic bag in it, tied at the top, dangling enticingly. "I thought you might want something to eat. The door was open."

Simon grunted and lowered the blade slowly, shaking his head. His expression warmed into a smirk as he took the bag with his free hand. "One of these days, I won't be able to stop in time."

"And on that day, I'll just have to disarm you." She grinned.

Athena didn't seem worried. Instead, she stuck her tongue out as she followed him to the far wall, where he put the weapon down and started to unravel the bag's knot. The plastic crinkled beneath his fingers as it loosened. She seemed pretty content as she looked on, and they both sat, making themselves comfortable right there on the squeaky clean floor. He pulled out two identical-looking containers, one after the other. Chinese take-out . . . ?

"Two?"

"Well, duh. A girl's gotta eat, too." She took one for herself eagerly, also reaching into the bag for one of the plastic forks scattered within. "It's a good thing I got it here so fast. It's still warm."

Simon stared at her for a moment before it sunk in that she planned to stay. Granted, he should've gathered as much as soon as she'd sat down. "Thank you," he said, and decided that he really didn't oppose her company all that much.

She predictably took the first bite without waiting, followed quickly by another, and another. There was a comfortable silence as he watched her, but when he could no longer take the stains quickly smearing her face, he reached into the bag to grab her stack of napkins. He gently hit them over her head in offering and they fell onto her lap. Her gaze followed them as they landed on her. After taking a breath for seemingly the first time the entire meal, she grabbed one and used it, gently swiping it across her mouth with a sigh.

"So . . ." she said, placing her fork down temporarily. If that was her attempt to spark a conversation, though, Simon knew she could do much better.

"So what?"

"Sooo, is this going to be a regular thing now? Dinner in a dojo—I mean, it has a nice ring to it."

Simon tilted his head, taking a pause in his own eating. "It obviously doesn't bother you," he noted. He didn't bother to address her original question.

"Well, no! No, it doesn't. You've just . . ." She bit her lip in thought, blinking at him. "You know, I'm finding you here more and more often, and it makes me wonder."

 _Wonder, huh._

"Don't think too hard about it," he said, lips curled. "You might hurt yourself."

" _Obviously_ ," she raised her voice, pointedly ignoring him, "it isn't anger. I don't hear any bitterness in your heart. There's no fire, no spark."

"Must you analyze me?"

"If anything," she continued, "It's the opposite. There's this calmness about you, and . . ." Her eyes closed in concentration, as if searching for the right words. "It's like ice slowly melting into a flowing river."

He laughed. "You always were dramatic."

"Said the twisted samurai," Athena countered, without missing a beat. She nudged him with her elbow, but he leaned only slightly, remaining stoic without reacting.

He said nothing, and instead resumed his meal. Athena was okay with this—the silences between them never felt awkward, and she never felt any pressing need to break them. She didn't even notice, in fact, until she looked up and was met with his eyes on her.

He looked away.

"It helps me clear my mind," he said. "If you must know."

Athena's mouth was part full when she responded: "This place?"

He didn't have to say yes, or even nod. He did clarify though, for her benefit. "When my thoughts are too clouded, I come here for focus and perspective. I train. Sometimes it's enough to give me the answers I seek."

Which would suggest that sometimes it _isn't_ , Athena noted, but if he wasn't bringing it up, then neither would she. In any case, she had her own activities she favored for relieving stress—namely, running—and she could certainly relate to how it made him feel.

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked.

To him, it felt rather out of the blue, but to her, obviously, the question was a reasonable one. She certainly didn't run in order to socialize (though she never complained when it happened). She could only guess that he felt the same way about his blade, but he looked at her strangely, as if it was a stupid thing to ask. (She should know. She got that look a lot.)

"No," he said. And then he surprised her: "Join me."

"What?" she stammered.

"A scatterbrain like you? It would be fun to watch you struggle with a sword," he teased. "Perhaps I could teach you a thing or two about the way of the samurai."

She didn't know what to say at first. She'd never considered it—wielding a sword, let alone holding it against anybody. She smirked, though, never one to back down from a challenge.

"You're on."

* * *

 **A/N:** _My initial thought was that it would be cute if Simon taught Athena sword fighting. Then I just ended up writing the lead up to it, haha. Hopefully you enjoyed it anyway, though! It was a little lengthier than my last, and one of the more tender moments between them._

 _I'm still deciding on a posting schedule that'll work best for me, but for now, it'll be once a week on the weekends, at least until the new year. As always, thank you for reading! Comments, concerns?_


	3. Competition

**Title:** Competition  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What makes her proud?  
 **Characters:** Athena Cykes, Phoenix Wright, Trucy Wright  
 **Word Count:** 1,388  
 **Summary:** In which Athena receives gifts for the holidays, and a picture is worth a thousand words.  
 **Notes:** Post Spirit of Justice.

* * *

It was usually quiet at the office around the holidays, but pretty festive, too.

The week before Christmas was especially fun for the girls. Even though they were still down one very important member of their family this year (and naturally, Athena would be sure to send Apollo something to make up for this), Trucy's magical props still made decorating a blast.

Phoenix, of course, being the softie that he was, got them a tree. It wasn't a big one, mind you, but it had room enough for the works: flashy LED lights you could control with a remote; playing cards that were now ornaments after some modifications with a hole puncher and some string; bells to make some noise. Trucy's magic panties even made an appearance, though she didn't know how long those would stay up before daddy noticed.

The most important thing, of course, was the shiny glass star on top.

Athena was just admiring it when the door opened, and her head immediately turned with curiosity.

"Package," a voice said, and her boss, Mr. Wright walked in with just that in his arms. A scarf was wrapped comfortably around his neck and he wore a nice thick coat that kept him warm out there in the chilly weather.

"For me?" Trucy piped up immediately—only to sink down again when Phoenix shook his head.

"Not this time," he said, and he walked over to place the box on Athena's desk.

"Me?" she stammered. Of course, she was immediately examining it. It wasn't so much a surprise that she got a package, but rather that she got _another_ one.

"No fair!" Trucy exclaimed, though there was a playful smile on her face. "That's her third one this week. The next one's got to be mine."

"What, are you guys having a competition?" Phoenix teased. He had wandered and was unwinding at his own mess of a desk, when Athena shot him a sly look. She was already walking towards the Christmas tree, where an impressive collection of presents had already amassed.

"Maybe," she replied, grinning. "Miss Magician here is famous, though, so I think 'No fair' is my line!"

Trucy watched, shaking her head as Athena set the box down with the rest of them.

"Well," Trucy said, shrugging, "I have my fans, but you have our clients. I think that makes us even, don't you?"

Athena wasn't sure how to argue with that. The presents _were_ from their past clients, whom she always took the time to follow up with whenever she could. Though she hadn't opened a single package yet, they all felt quite personal and meaningful to her, just from reading their cards. Most of Trucy's were on the generic side: flowers and stuffed animals of varying cuteness. Not that there was anything wrong with those, but she could barely connect names to faces when it came to their senders.

Athena recognized every one of hers.

"I'm impressed, actually," Phoenix chimed in, before Athena could. "I mean, think about it. How many people bother to send a present to their lawyer?" He was willing to bet not many. He smiled earnestly. "You must have really touched them."

"Oh, stop," Athena giggled. "I'm just doing my job, that's all! As both a lawyer _and_ a psychologist."

"All the girls really like Thena especially," Trucy teased. "She's like everybody's insta-best friend! And they totally tell her everything."

"That's not true," Athena protested.

It seemed to go unheard, but Phoenix shook his head. 'Everything' was a stretch, perhaps, but he definitely had to acknowledge that their clients opened up to her more. He knew from the beginning that her ability would help people, and she was only improving with every case.

"No, she's right," he insisted. "They always have an easier time talking to you. Plus, I still can't believe you manage to stay in touch with so many of them . . . You should be proud."

"I—" Athena stammered. _I should?_ Her mouth opened a couple times, but no words came out, and she flailed in her frustration, not knowing what to say. She was smiling, though, her cheeks red.

Was it such a big deal, simply asking a client how they were doing post-trial? Was it such a big deal to send them an e-mail out of the blue, or a random text on occasion—even offer to hang out or listen to whatever they had to say, even if they didn't take her up on it?

She didn't think so. With Widget and technology in general making it so easy, there was hardly an excuse not to do it, but she realized now, these were small gestures that added up to something very meaningful.

"I- I guess I am," she said at last, "but you _guys._ No fair ganging up on me! You should totally be proud, too!"

They laughed, and she heard one of them say 'We are.' Trucy couldn't resist anymore though, and walked over to claim a hug from Athena while Phoenix watched them from afar. He was trying to look cool with those folded arms of his and that goofy smile. Trucy, breaking the hug for just a moment, rolled her eyes and tugged at his sleeve.

"Come on, daddy, you too!"

"A-Ack! Okay, alright already . . ." Her grip had been more forceful than she intended (or perhaps not), and he learned in towards both of them, chuckling. "Happy holidays, you nutcrackers."

"Happy holidays!" Trucy repeated, grinning. The group hug dissipated as quickly as it had come, but the warmth remained.

"Hey!" Athena cried out suddenly. "Hold on, why don't we snap a picture and send it to Apollo?"

Trucy pouted, though her smile still lingered afterwards, refusing to fade. "Yeah. It sucks that he can't be here," she said, "but I bet he'd like that. He's so serious all the time, especially now that he's flying solo... We gotta make sure it's something super goofy and funny!"

"Wha—" Phoenix choked back a disbelieving laugh. "What's wrong with just a nice, normal photo to show him we're all doing fine?"

"No, she's right," Athena insisted seriously. She was already setting up Widget's camera. "We've just got to make him laugh. Sorry, boss, but you're out-voted."

"Wow," he replied. He tried his best to sound offended, but when Trucy leaned in close to Athena to prepare for the picture, he knew it was his cue to do the same. He peered over Athena's shoulder, seeing the frame they were all trying to squeeze into before him. "Alright, let's get this over with."

"Yes!" Trucy cheered.

"Okay, then," Athena agreed, grinning. She brushed aside some strands of hair that had come loose from her ponytail, and then adjusted Widget one last time. "Selfie time on the count of three! Two . . . one . . ."

 _Click!_ Though since it was Widget, it was more like a high-tech chime.

Trucy had stuck her tongue out and winked. Athena puckered her lips, sucking in her cheeks so that her face was fish-like and utterly ridiculous. It looked like she was trying to cross her eyes. Phoenix . . . was Phoenix. In the moment the picture was snapped, he could actually be seen eyeing Athena warily with a forced smile on his face.

" _Daddy,_ " Trucy complained, seeing that he'd gone back on their agreement.

"No, no—" He waved his hand, in fear that she might order a do-over. "Really. You both were goofy enough for all three of us. It's okay."

"He's right," Athena laughed. "Let's just send it."

"Oh, fine," Trucy conceded; but she seemed satisfied, too.

With no objections or interruptions, it only took a couple minutes. Despite the time difference, Athena was still picturing how his face might look, waking up to a picture like that; but she knew he wouldn't have them any other way. She typed a quick message to go along with it, and hit 'Send.'

 _Happy Holidays from LA!_  
 _Don't forget to give yourself a break, and remember that we miss you._  
 _Wishing you the best always_

 _Love,_  
 _Athena, Trucy and Phoenix_  
 _Your Wright Anything family_

". . . What? Too corny?" Athena asked, when she heard Trucy stifling a giggle. Both Wrights shook their heads though, and Phoenix sounded more like her boss then than he had all day. He smiled warmly.

"No. It's perfect."

* * *

 **A/N:** _No one ever told me Cykesquill week was a thing?! Darn._

 _Anyway, this holiday-themed entry makes #3. I apologize if it wasn't as shippy as you were hoping, but not all of them will be. I really enjoy the Wright Anything dynamic though, and I love this idea that Athena follows up with their clients when she can. So hopefully you enjoyed it too. Either way, thank you for reading! Comments, thoughts are welcome as always._


	4. Concealer

**Title:** Concealer  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What scars does he have? What are the stories behind them?  
 **Characters:** Simon Blackquill, Athena Cykes  
 **Word Count:** 816  
 **Summary:** As it turned out, Simon didn't mind talking about his scars. All except for two.

* * *

The party was a formal affair, hosted by the prosecutor's office to honor the Christmas holiday every year. Were it not for tradition and expectations, Simon suspected Edgeworth wouldn't bother with it at all. They were a lot alike, the two of them, their dislike for the masses included, but unfortunately, neither of them was that lucky. The party was dated for Christmas Eve on the office's ground floor, the same as every year, and Simon, at least, had no other plans.

It was bad enough that he was going in the first place. Then Athena convinced him to get the suit.

He was trying it on for her on the evening in question, and he hoped she could hear his every protest, every silent complaint his heart was making.

(Of course she could.)

"A few hours won't kill you," Athena insisted, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Come on. Smile!"

Simon's lip twitched and curled into the smug smirk she'd become familiar with over the past few months. It wasn't quite was she was looking for, but it was evidently close enough, since she didn't scold him any further. She simply sighed, running a hand across his cheek.

"Don't worry. We'll do something about that," she said.

"About what?" he asked.

"Those bags under your eyes. Those . . . scars." Athena narrowed her eyes to get a better look, like she was making sure she wasn't seeing things. Not that she failed to notice them before, but nevertheless, she continued: "Do you even sleep?"

Simon scoffed. He decided her question was a rhetorical one and grabbed her wrist to stop her (albeit far more gently than he was used to doing). The smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. "It isn't a big deal. Leave it alone."

Something in his voice caught her attention then. Something guarded and sudden, something not quite like him. There was a vague feeling like she'd just run head-first into a wall. Here stood a man who made light of his time in jail—a man who told so many stories about his inmates that she wasn't sure which were true anymore. Here stood a man who kept no secrets about the dramatic injuries he sustained, the marks others left on him, yet this was where he drew the line, apparently.

Granted, his other marks were far better hidden. Athena had an easier time getting him to talk about those, and most of them were way scarier looking. The ones beneath his eyes were faint, and definitely not just bags from lack of sleep, she decided. Just acknowledging them seemed to bother him, and the psychologist in her was curious.

"I've got concealer," she offered carefully. "I mean, it wouldn't take very long."

"Why does it suddenly bother you so much?" Simon asked. He seemed to take offense. His tolerance for Athena's bubbly persistence wore thin, but her answer did calm him somewhat.

That bubbly persistence had saved him, after all. And she still cared.

"It bothers me that it bothers you," she said softly.

Even so, he didn't know how he was supposed to reply to that. All he could manage was: "It shouldn't."

For a while, she didn't say anything else. He could see the way she was frowning though, the way she worried. She could still hear parts of him that weren't over the long years he'd lost, he knew— and he softened under her gaze. He let her adjust his sleeves, fix his tie, even button up the suit once all was said and done. He didn't resist again when she actually twisted open the concealer and actually started to apply it.

She was certain he'd look like a completely different person when she was done.

"Simon, is there anything you want to talk about?" Athena looked him in the eyes.

He wasn't lying, she decided, when he replied, "No."

He was soft-spoken, declining her gently. She stepped back then to admire her work and didn't push the issue further. There was a smile, suggesting she was satisfied. "Then I guess it's my turn to get dressed."

"Aura doesn't like to be kept waiting," he agreed.

His smirk returned, but he was only met with Athena's back as she headed back towards the bathroom. "Don't mess anything up! I'll be right back."

The door shut behind her. His shoulders fell, and he suddenly felt a lot less tense as he made himself comfortable on their couch. It would be his first Christmas he would celebrate as a free man, with his sister no less, who was also free now.

No, he didn't feel like talking about it. He had shed enough tears to last a lifetime—enough tears to leave those marks. He certainly didn't want to cry anymore. Just knowing that he _could_ was enough.

Her support was the best gift he could ask for.

* * *

 **A/N:** _When I saw this prompt, I knew I wanted to do something regarding those scars that were confirmed to be caused by Simon's tears. I can't see him wanting Athena to know how he got them, though._

 _Anyway, Merry Christmas! And thank you for reading! Comments/concerns welcome as always._


	5. Jack of All Trades

**Title:** Jack of All Trades  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What did she want to be when she grew up?  
 **Characters:** Athena Cykes, Simon Blackquill  
 **Word Count:** 766  
 **Summary:** Simon, Athena, and a lunch date in the park.  
 **Notes:** Blatant Pokémon Sun/Moon references and I am not sorry.

* * *

It was a rather nice day for a picnic, Simon noted. He always enjoyed a good meal outdoors whenever it wasn't raining, and he knew Taka certainly appreciated being able to spread his wings.

Granted, Athena had done most of the work this time around: preparing the sandwiches; slicing the apples, the strawberries, the bananas; arranging them into neat little fruit cups (which Simon thought was rather unnecessary, but she insisted). She also took it upon herself to put everything into a picnic basket, along with various bottled juices and water, and when they left, she was the one who grabbed their favorite blanket to use at the park.

Simon was merely reaping the rewards. Seeing as how it was all her own idea, however, plus the way she was resting her head across his lap, causing his legs to go numb, he wasn't going to feel bad about it. He could feel the length of her hair tickling his knees, and he lamented the fact that she actually convinced him to wear shorts.

 _Casual_ clothes. Ugh.

"I thought we came to eat," he said. Though he wasn't letting her stop him: he was already taking the first bite of his sandwich.

Athena was sprawled out comfortably, legs outstretched. In her hands, she had a bright yellow Nintendo 3DS, which was personalized and decorated with Widget's green happy face on its back cover. She kept the dual screens a short distance away from her face, holding the device up against gravity while she played. He couldn't help but wonder if her arms weren't getting tired, but every five minutes or so, she'd turn on her side to rest them, and he knew they would be there a while.

Not that he could complain.

Much.

"In a minute," Athena said. She shifted again, and he could see her smiling. "Look! I can finally choose my starter." Simon humored her and glanced at the screen. He grabbed a bottle of water and tried to look interested as she went on: "But which one do I want . . . ?"

 _Rowlet, the grass type; Litten, the fire type; Popplio, the water type,_ so the game explained. The creatures were apparently called Pokémon, but to him they just looked like goofy cartoon animals that belonged on children's toy shelves. It seemed she was seriously considering which one she liked best, and he didn't understand this, since for him, the choice was easy.

He took a sip from his bottle before answering her coolly. "The owl."

Rowlet.

She stuck her tongue out. "Of course you'd say that."

He shrugged. Apparently she agreed with him though, because she chose the chubby feathered critter moments later.

"I'll name him Taka," she was saying, seeing that it was a boy.

"Taka is a hawk," Simon corrected her. He sounded almost offended.

"Shhh. Close enough."

He frowned, but didn't fight her on this. He was focusing instead on his meal (once again), when finally, some time later, Athena sat up, allowing his legs freedom. He stretched them gratefully as she shut her 3DS and gave into her hunger, reaching into the picnic basket at last. She sighed and looked content once she started to eat.

"I always wanted to be a Pokémon trainer," she mumbled in a grin. Realizing her mouth was still full, she swallowed before finishing: "Maybe I should get a cool pet, just like Taka."

"I thought you wanted to be an astronaut," Simon replied. Growing up at the space center, it wasn't surprising when she told him that. Granted, that was before what happened to her mother—before she was forced into the legal scene.

Athena frowned, as if only then remembering. "Oh, yeah." She paused, tilting her head pensively. "I could . . . train Pokémon in space?"

"You also wanted to be a veterinarian at one point," he reminded her. "And a firefighter."

"I could . . ." She trailed off thoughtfully. There was an air of seriousness about her, but her pensive expression quickly melted, and she playfully continued: ". . . train Pokémon to put out fires . . . in space! And take care of all the ones that get sick doing it!"

Simon smirked, and rolled his eyes despite his best efforts. Sarcasm dripped in his voice. "A regular jack of all trades."

"Don't be jealous," Athena teased smugly.

She flipped her hair.

They enjoyed the rest of their meal, but naturally, it wasn't long before she picked the game back up again. He was shaking his head as he watched over her shoulder. _Pokémon Sun, Pokémon Moon_ —whatever the hell it was.

How appropriate, given how often her head was in the clouds.

* * *

 **A/N:** _I was running low on inspiration, browsing a tumblr full of OTP prompts. One of them was about your OTP arguing over who would play Sun and who would play Moon, and it all spiraled from there, haha. Timing inaccuracies aside, I hope it was at least good for a smile?_

 _Anyway, this makes #5, and the last one I'm posting for 2016! So, everyone please have a safe and happy new year. Thank you for reading! And as usual, comments are welcome :)_


	6. Guilty Pleasures

**Title:** Guilty Pleasures  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What secret does he hope is never revealed? Does anyone else know it?  
 **Characters:** Simon Blackquill, Athena Cykes  
 **Word Count:** 834  
 **Summary:** Simon never questioned why Athena kept receiving packages from Kurain Village, until one day . . .  
 **Notes:** Post Spirit of Justice, but otherwise no specific timeline. Assumes they live together.

* * *

The packages would come every couple of weeks or so.

Simon never paid much attention to them. They were, after all, not addressed to him, but to Athena, and he left it to her to open them. She would always get childishly excited when she did so, and it was always the same: a stack of DVDs, sent from the quaint little village of Kurain, a couple of hours away by train.

"Yes!" she'd say, when she thought he wasn't paying attention. "I've been waiting to find out what happens."

She would always invite him to watch them with her. He would pretend not to be interested, but one day, curiosity finally got the better of him. Because how bad could a show called "The Steel Samurai" really be (and why did her friend Maya Fey keep sending them)? Athena wasn't home, and he decided to take the chance. He found the first disc.

He was surprised. It was simple, but charming; predictable, but engaging. For a children's show, at least. Then the next day, he moved onto the second disc, and then the third, and so on until it became a secret routine of sorts. He would sneak in episodes when the mood struck him and Phoenix kept her late at the office.

Then the inevitable happened: the one day she came home early.

He turned his head when he heard the door opening, but barely flinched as he hit the pause button. The Evil Magistrate was still on the screen when she walked in, and he left it that way until the realization hit her. It was rather amusing to watch, actually.

She gasped.

"Aha!" There was that accusatory finger-point she normally reserved for the courtroom. "You _have_ been watching my DVDs!"

"Background noise," he insisted, with a shrug.

"Yeah, right," Athena replied. She barely acknowledged the excuse before continuing: "I _thought_ it was weird that they were always put away so neatly. Now I totally get it."

It figured. He found the DVDs just about everywhere, wherever the packages were opened. His tendency to keep things neat and orderly had gotten the best of him and betrayed his guilty pleasure. He didn't deny it, but he didn't say anything, either. Of all the people he would have minded finding out, he couldn't say Athena was too high on the list. (Aura, on the other hand . . .)

"You should've told me," Athena added, prodding him as she joined him on the couch. "We could have watched together."

He scooted slightly to make room for her, answering flatly: "I didn't know if I would enjoy it."

"But you did!" she exclaimed, just short of laughing.

"And how do you know that?"

He smirked, looking smug and arrogant as usual, until he remembered who he was talking to. She gave him a stare, as if to ask, 'How do you think?' and he shrunk slightly, expression hardening. Her super hearing . . .

Right, stupid question.

" _Anyway_ ," she said, sparing him the trouble of responding, "I told you it was awesome. But I got something else today that we can try."

She was already digging through her bag when he looked over at her for an answer. "You got another package?"

"Not exactly," she replied. She found what she was looking for and pulled out . . . more DVDs. (Not surprising.) "She sent these to Mr. Wright, but I saw them and asked if I could borrow them."

". . . The Plumed Punisher," he read, "Warrior of Neo Twilight Realm."

He could see the similarities already. Athena nodded, clarifying it for him anyway. "It's some Khura'inese knock-off of The Steel Samurai based on Lady Kee'ra, but apparently she likes it anyway. Mr. Wright . . . not so much."

Simon let out a laugh. He could only imagine Phoenix Wright was all too happy to lend out the DVDs—indefinitely.

"Fine," he said. He gave in. "I'll join you this time."

"Yes!" she cried. "Victory."

Far be it from him to take away that feeling of satisfaction. He watched as she pried out the first disc from its box and walked over to the player to put it in. Apparently this was happening immediately, which he wasn't expecting, but he didn't stop her either.

"Oh! Just one thing," Athena called out suddenly.

He could hear the eerily familiar theme tune already as the menu screen played on loop. "What is it?"

"Don't tell your boss about this," she said. "My boss's orders."

". . . Edgeworth-dono?" Simon wondered what he had to do with anything at all, but the way Athena shook her head told him he shouldn't ask.

"Just promise."

"Fine," he replied.

Easy enough. It wasn't as if he wanted just anyone to know about his guilty pleasures anyway, let alone someone he actually respected. Just him, and Athena Cykes. That was probably too much already.

Satisfied, she hit play, and there went his evening like a leaf lost in the breeze.

It was okay though, he decided. There were plenty more like it to come.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Hi, folks! I'm attending MAGFest this weekend, so I'm posting this one a little early. Happy 2017!_

 _I've seen jokes and parodies made before of Simon nerding out with Edgeworth over the Steel Samurai, and this is my take on it I suppose (sans Edgeworth), and it makes #6. I hope you enjoyed it._

 _Apologies I've been slow on replying to your reviews, also. FFNet was giving me issues whenever I tried, but it seems to have sorted itself out, so I'll try to be better about it now._

 _Thanks for your readership as always! And comments are welcome, as usual. Til next time._


	7. Passing Time

**Title:** Passing Time  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** Does she have any artistic talent (writing, drawing, music)? Are they well developed or raw? Secret or public?  
 **Characters:** Athena Cykes, Klavier Gavin, Phoenix Wright, Apollo Justice  
 **Word Count:** 1,053  
 **Summary:** A fierce thunderstorm strands our ragtag team of lawyers at the Wright Anything Agency.

* * *

 _So this is what the office is like after hours,_ Athena mused.

It was dark, and she had her head down at her desk despite her best efforts to stay awake. Somewhere in the distance, she heard Apollo yawn, and Phoenix stretched, feeling his body ache from lack of use. Outside, a thunderstorm raged, and Klavier, who had the misfortune of being caught in it, crashed on their couch, waiting it out just like the rest of them.

His clothes were finally beginning to dry when he came across an old prop Trucy once used for one of her shows. It was an old battery powered keyboard, a child's toy that lit up whenever you hit a note, and he delighted in dancing his fingers across the keys. The colors lit up the room, as did the music.

Of course, he could hardly call it as such when he was only playing a couple notes and chords.

"A," Athena murmured flatly, after his finger grazed another key.

Heads turned. Everyone waited, because they didn't really understand. Did Athena actually say something? Maybe they imagined it. Even Klavier was puzzled at first, but he decided to play another note, watching as it glowed blue.

"C," Athena said.

And already he was starting to catch on. Klavier continued at random, though the keyboard was small and limited him.

"E flat," she murmured. "F. A. B flat." He played a chord and she responded: "C, E, G."

"Fraulein," Klavier said seriously, "Are you repeating my notes back to me?"

"Why not?" she responded cheerfully, trying not to sound as bored as she was. A crash of thunder boomed outside, but she refused to be interrupted. She only jumped a little as she continued on thoughtfully: "I was waiting for you to play an actual song."

"Please don't." Apollo's voice interrupted miserably before Klavier could say anything.

Klavier paused, as if considering a retort, but then decided to ignore him. "I would," he said, sighing dramatically, "but _some_ people might find that annoying."

Apollo wanted to defended himself then. He could feel Klavier's pointed stare on him, but the rockstar helpfully changed the subject, and Apollo let it drop. Still, he groaned under his breath.

Klavier set the piano aside. "I did not know you had perfect pitch, Athena, though I can't say I am surprised."

"Hmm?" Athena lifted her head at the sudden attention. "Oh, I don't know about perfect. I just recognize notes when I hear them, that's all."

"I'm pretty sure that's what perfect pitch is," Phoenix chimed in helpfully. He didn't know if Athena heard him, but _someone_ laughed, so he supposed it was worth it.

"Did you know I can also tell your footsteps apart?" Athena grinned. "Even the way you guys knock on doors is all different."

"Aren't you glad you were gifted with something so useful?" Apollo asked.

His sarcasm escaped her though, and she replied brightly: "As a matter of fact, I am."

It wasn't always that way, of course. It took Athena a long time—her whole life, perhaps—to embrace her sensitive hearing. Now she couldn't imagine what life would be like without it, and she made it her mission to find new ways to use it and help people every day. She was proud, and not even Apollo could find it in himself to belittle that.

"Shush, Herr Forehead," Klavier said to him, with a dismissive wave of his hand. Apollo's tone had not escaped him, and if Athena wasn't going to call him out on it, there was no one else better. "She has the ears of a musician. It's exciting!"

Perhaps out of spite, Klavier then grabbed the toy piano again. He played a scale of notes and lingered on the last, though it was hard to compete against the harsh torrent of rain against the window. He mused, with a distant smile: "I bet we could make beautiful music together."

Athena laughed sheepishly. "Thanks, Mr. Gavin, but I'm no singer. I think I'll stick to lawyering." She glanced in Phoenix's direction for assurance. "And psychology, of course. Right, boss?"

"No stealing my employees, Klavier," Phoenix warned, albeit in a light and playful tone. "Or even trying to."

"Whoops," Klavier responded flatly, lifting his hands in surrender. "You caught me."

"You and music are barely even a thing anymore, anyway," Apollo said, his serious tone slicing the atmosphere. "After all, everyone knows you've been focusing more on prosecuting."

"Alas," Klavier shrugged, conceding. "He speaks the truth. But I would be lying if I said I didn't miss it." He glanced over the piano keys wistfully, then looked towards Athena's desk in the dark. "Perhaps I could at least convince you into a karaoke session or two, fraulein." He paused thoughtfully before adding: "Some day."

"I could go for that!" Athena replied, all too enthusiastically. Apollo wondered if he would bring up alcohol next, but Klavier thankfully left it at that. Phoenix's voice cutting in helped.

"Let's get through tonight first," he said. "I just checked the weather again, and you guys might be here a while. Someone who isn't me come up with a brilliant way to pass the time."

There was silence, until Athena raised her hand like an excited elementary school child. "Ooh! We could tell spooky stories," she offered.

"We could play a round of truth or dare," Klavier proposed instead.

Apollo blanched, shaking his head. Unsurprisingly, he sided with Athena. "Absolutely not. I'd rather deal with ghosts."

Silence. No one else protested, but no one offered anything new either. Not yet.

"I wish Trucy were here." Athena frowned. Lucky her, getting stranded at Penrose. Who knew the kind of mischief the girl was getting up to with access to so many props. "Or Simon. He always has some stories to tell."

Phoenix shook his head mournfully, shrugging. "We'll just have to make do, until someone comes up with a better idea."

All eyes were on him (or at least his silhouette) as he rubbed his chin. The atmosphere tensed, suspense hanging in the air like the moment just before he accuses the true culprit in court. Rather than point his finger, however, he placed his hands square on his desk as he looked up.

"So, who wants to go first?"

* * *

 **A/N:** _So I fell in love with the idea that Athena has perfect pitch and I kind of winged it from there. It also amused me to think she might not even really know it's a Thing people have, haha._

 _Anyway! Sorry this one's a bit late, but please let me know what you think. I hope you liked it. Feedback, comments always appreciated. You get the idea._

 _Until next time :)_


	8. Unruly

**Title:** Unruly  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What makes him embarrassed?  
 **Characters:** Simon Blackquill, Athena Cykes  
 **Word Count:** 610  
 **Summary:** Simon's hair is too long.

* * *

He wasn't wearing a shirt.

She could see the firmness in his chest, every scar and mark he'd ever gotten in prison, but she refused to let it distract her. He was uncomfortable enough for the both of them, so there was no need to get all flustered or starstruck. Absolutely not!

She simply pulled his hair back, draping it over his shoulders as he looked on in the mirror in front of them.

It wasn't quite as long as hers—no, not even close—but certainly impressive.

"It is unruly," Simon said.

"It's _long_ ," Athena corrected. "So let's cut it. You said you wanted to."

He wasn't about to admit that he didn't have the patience for the level of care his hair required— that he grew it out in prison, not out of choice, but out of neglect, and that the only times he ever cut it were when they made him. Now that he was a free man, he had a lot more to worry about regarding proper grooming and social norms, and he hated it.

Next to him, leaning against the wall, was his sword. It was a little long for a narrow space like an apartment bathroom, but it was maneuverable, and he was nothing if not careful with it. He reached for the blade and Athena stepped back on cue, grinning.

"It'll be just like in the movies!" she exclaimed. "You're sure about this, right?"

Simon hesitated. "It was your idea."

"Only because you said it kept getting in your way," she reminded him. "Plus you wouldn't let me take you to a salon, so this was the only thing I could think of." Somehow, he only looked more embarrassed, and not at all assured. He grumbled, to which she kept going: "It'll be fine. Even if it doesn't go perfectly, I'm here to help."

"Fine."

He gave in, if only just to get it over with. Both watched the blade carefully as he lifted it, and with his other hand, he gripped the bulk of his messy hair until it was in a tight ponytail of sorts. Athena stayed out of his way, but guided the blade to the base of the tail until it was in an acceptable position to slice through it. Her hands lingered over his when they stopped.

"Ready?"

"No," he replied. His voice was firm and unwavering, but she clicked her tongue, taking it for the joke it was.

"Stop shaking so much," she scolded. She squeezed his hand until it was still. A sigh escaped her lips, and she took a deep breath. "Okay. Three—two—one—"

It was one smooth, coordinated motion. Athena let go, allowing Simon to pull the blade across, and it was over almost as soon as it had begun. He held his now-detached ponytail in his hand, staring in disbelief as some shorter chunks and strands fell to the floor.

That was it?

It wasn't quite like the movies. The ends remaining were split, rough, uneven or some combination of the three, and his hair slightly misshapen as a result. Athena couldn't help but laugh, worsening his mood as he stared at himself; but before he could lose his temper, she rested both her hands on his shoulders and pressed gently to keep him calm. He reminded her now of what he looked like when he was young: when he _did_ keep his hair short, and when he smiled a lot more.

She decided she wanted more of that.

She reached over him, leaning in close as she grabbed the scissors they had prepared beside the sink.

"I'll take it from here."

* * *

 **A/N:** _I actually like Simon with short hair. And I'd like to think he'd cut it again eventually? (Also I may have been thinking of Mulan. Oops.)_

 _Speaking of short, I apologize this one is so. I hope you liked it all the same. Thanks for reading it, I welcome your comments, etc, etc. Until next time!_


	9. Gardening for Dummies

**Title:** Gardening for Dummies  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** Does she have a green thumb?  
 **Characters:** Athena Cykes, Apollo Justice (Simon Blackquill, Klavier Gavin)  
 **Word Count:** 1,083  
 **Summary:** Athena was getting her hands dirty. Literally.  
 **Notes:** Spirit of Justice spoilers/mentions: takes place after The Magical Turnabout (case 2).

* * *

Athena was getting her hands dirty. Literally.

Very few things surprised Apollo anymore about this eccentric coworker of his, but he still hadn't expected to see her working on a literal garden that morning when he walked in. Soil freckled her face and clung to her hands, and in front of her, flowers bloomed in vibrant color.

Granted, it was a _small_ garden, consisting of just a few flowers. The agency didn't have room for one that you could actually walk through, but judging by her expression, you would have thought she was planning for one that size.

"What are you doing?" Apollo asked. It was entirely too early for him to sound that tired. "We just finally managed to get all the yellow tape off everything."

"Well, aren't you a ray of sunshine this morning," Athena huffed.

"I'm a ray of sunshine everyday," he replied flatly. He bit back the comment on the tip of his tongue about how he was named after the sun god.

"Oh, relax. I'll clean it up." Athena waved a hand. "I'm almost done. See?"

He looked suspicious. She made a face as he noted: "I see dirt. And flowers that we don't actually have room for."

"Come on, don't be like that," she said, groaning. (She had been _trying_ to show them off!) "I'll make room. We nearly lost this place thanks to that Mr. Reus and I just wanted to do something nice for it."

 _Thanks for the reminder,_ Apollo thought bitterly, though the case was still fresh on his mind anyway. That entire trial had been an ordeal, and there was still paperwork to be finished and filed—but at least Trucy was smiling again. Her values as a magician were strengthened, and he supposed that made it all worth it.

She would probably like the flowers, too, he guessed. It was one of those girl things.

"Okay," Apollo conceded, sighing. "But why gardening? We already have Charley."

"Not just gardening," Athena insisted with excitement. " _Floral therapy._ Charley is great, but he could use some friends, don't you think?"

"Uh-huh." There was no hiding the sarcasm in his voice. Athena didn't seem bothered, though there was some warning in hers when she continued.

"Anyway . . ." she said testily. "It's for our clients, too. I want to work on creating a more welcoming atmosphere here, so they feel comfortable and happier. Then, who knows? Maybe they'll make our job a bit easier."

 _Sometimes I forget she's a psychologist._

They both laughed, but Apollo laughed harder. "Dreaming big there, Athena," he said. "But hey, I can get behind it. As long as it doesn't fall on ME in the end."

"No way," Athena protested. "Therapy is my thing. You just stick to your Chords of Steel!"

He was skeptical. After all, he'd never seen Athena so much as water Charley, but he knew better than to say it aloud. He simply folded his arms, content to stare at her expectantly.

There was a first time for everything. Besides, he'd lost his faith in her once before, and he didn't want to make that mistake again.

He answered: "I think I will."

Athena had already done one thing right, he realized. Beneath the pots, he could see newspapers laid on top of her desk, which would make things a breeze to clean once she was all done. It didn't take her much longer, so he watched as she walked one of the potted plants, adorned with yellow and pink flowers, to the main table they used to greet their guests.

She kept one pot for herself as a permanent fixture on her desk, and the other one remaining?

Well, she held it tightly in her hands after she made sure not a speck of dirt was left on her desk or the surrounding area. Before Apollo noticed, she was meandering towards the door with the pot. Tucked beneath her other arm were books, presumably about flowers, and he could have sworn one of them said _Gardening for Dummies._

It surprised Apollo to know that she had actually been doing research. Catching onto the fact that she didn't have a free hand to open the door with, he quickly jumped in to help, shaking himself out of his trance. He opened the door for her.

"Leaving?" he asked, somewhat bewildered.

"Library," she said. She walked through, forgetting to thank him. "It won't take long, but the girl at the front gives me dirty looks when I bring stuff back late."

"And you're taking the flowers along. What, to woo her?"

Athena stuck her tongue out. "I'm making some stops first! Smart mouth."

". . . Okay." He stopped asking.

The door shut behind her, and with Mr. Wright still in Khura'in and Trucy at school, he had the office to himself.

He didn't know whether to hope a new client walked in or not.

 **o o o**

The pot of flowers looked out of place on the desk of Simon Blackquill. He could already hear the quiet snickering coming from some of his colleagues when he returned, and he quietly wondered if they had a death wish. His tone was low and quite dangerous:

"Is this a joke?"

Klavier was the brave one who answered him, instead of treating it as the rhetorical question everyone hoped it was.

"Not at all," he said. "Fraulein Cykes left it for you a while ago, along with your lunch." It was then that Simon noticed the small bag next to the pot, just barely retaining its warmth. He eyed it curiously, and Klavier finished: "It is nothing to be ashamed of."

"I am not," Simon growled, ever defensive.

Klavier threw up his hands in surrender, wisely turning away from him at that point. Suddenly the paperwork on his desk was very interesting.

In peace, Simon was able to unwrap the bag with his lunch and admire the soothing greens and blues of the flowers protruding from the pot. Only one was a vibrant pink and yellow hue, and there was a small note sticking out of it that he hadn't seen before. It was tucked on backwards, so he grabbed it and turned it around so he could read it.

There was a green Widget-like smiley on the other side (as if he needed more proof of the sender). Beneath it was a short message of only four words, and he smirked, knowing that there were days when he really needed to hear it.

 _Don't worry, be happy._

* * *

 **A/N:** _So I didn't do INTENSIVE research or anything, but some googling told me that yellows, greens, and warm pinks are fragile, tender colors that are supposed to emanate confidence and cheerfulness. Greens and blues are supposed to bring out serenity and peace of mind. I decided I wanted to use those colors, without getting too deep into all the different flower types and meanings specifically._

 _I think it works, since Athena is all about feeling and ambiance, and I hope you agree! As always, thank you for taking the time to read._

 _Your comments/favs/follows are encouraging and very appreciated. Until next time. C:_


	10. The One Who Got Away

**Title:** The One Who Got Away  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What is his romantic history? Best? Worst?  
 **Characters:** Simon Blackquill, Athena Cykes  
 **Word Count:** 1,631  
 **Summary:** Athena pries into Simon's love life. It doesn't end as disastrously as you might think.

* * *

"Are you afraid of heights?" a voice asked cheerily.

It was an innocent enough question, but Athena wasn't waiting for an answer. She grabbed Simon's hand suddenly with an expectant grin on her face and started to drag him towards the Ferris wheel before them. He didn't react much, ever true to his stoic demeanor. He didn't resist much either, which only made things easier for her. He only groaned, looking almost offended that he would be afraid of something so trivial.

"No, of course not," Simon replied, as patiently as he could.

"We can leave after this," Athena promised, sensing his exasperation. "I just want this to be the last thing we do."

They were really only there for a couple of hours at most. It was an accident, a happy coincidence.

The Wright Anything Agency had finally closed a major case after a long and arduous trial, and Athena was trying to decide how to celebrate for the evening when she came across the out of the way little carnival, right there in one of her favorite parks. It was there that she ran into Simon, who insisted he was only following Taka as he searched for his latest meal. That is, until he lost track of him.

Athena laughed at how out of place Simon looked among all the fun games, the colorful prizes, all the couples holding hands. Somehow, the fact that it was Valentine's Day was all but forgotten. It hadn't crossed her mind once as she stuck by him, basking in the familiarity of his company. Several unflattering sticker-booth selfies and many sticks of cotton candy later, the sun was already setting over another normal February evening.

Simon couldn't even remember how she had roped him into staying.

Athena was still smiling distantly when they finally made it to the front of the line for the Ferris wheel. They both climbed in and took their seats opposite each other in their assigned car. After that it moved so slowly, Simon thought he might go mad, but he sat, arms crossed, and looked almost comfortable as they ascended.

It was there at the top that Athena caught a glimpse of the heart-shaped lights flickering above the Tunnel of Love. They stood out to her, those pink and red dots in the darkness against a sea of whites and yellows, and it hit her all at once. Yes, it really had taken her that long to realize what was happening.

"Simon," she began, and he tore his attention away from the view, turning to face her. "Is this a date?"

She could hear his heart freeze over in an instant. His mouth parted, desperate for one of his witty replies, but instead, it felt like she just punched him in the gut. Still, his voice was even through his incredulity: "What?"

Athena shrunk, losing some of her confidence, but her smile didn't waver. She tried to laugh it off, but her tone was more serious than it had ever been.

"Sorry," she said. "That must be weird, coming from me, but I only ask because I don't know." She was honest, because she had to practice what she preached when it came to matters of the heart. She wouldn't be much of a psychologist if she didn't. With that in mind, she added softly: "But I don't think I'd mind. I mean, if it was a date."

Simon's fist tightened uncomfortably. What was he supposed to say: that he didn't mind the idea, either? _Did_ he mind it?

He had to break eye contact with her when the answer didn't immediately come to him.

"That isn't exactly my realm of expertise," he admitted.

Athena shook her head, laughing lightly. "Mine either. I was always . . . too busy and too air-headed to think about that kind of stuff when I was in school."

She paused. The truth was that she was always too focused, too one-track minded when it came to learning the law. Her friends never hesitated to tell her so, every time she snubbed them or declined their invitations to go out and have a little fun. She always had too much studying to do, and never enough time to do it . . . but that was years ago now.

She hesitated, continuing: "I guess the clink wasn't exactly a hub for romance either."

He actually smirked at that, and color returned to his face. If there was one thing Simon enjoyed doing, it was making light of his time in jail—embellishing his stories and exaggerating them as needed. It was the only way he could look back on those wasted years with a smile, the only way he could really think of to put it behind him.

"No," he agreed, but added cryptically: "Then again, is it not taboo to kiss and tell?"

Athena wasn't sure what he meant by that. She looked at him suspiciously (but playfully), teasing: "But if you had, wouldn't you tell me?"

"If I had, I suspect I wouldn't have to."

 _Ooh. Touche,_ Athena thought, after some consideration. The last thing she wanted was to invade his privacy, with her special hearing or without it; but she stuck out her tongue, taking it for the harmless jab it was.

"Before prison, then."

Just when he thought she had dropped the subject. No such luck, he supposed, and so Simon tilted his head to feign ignorance. "Hmm?"

"I mean, I never saw you _with_ anyone at the space center, exactly, but you were smart, and pretty handsome."

"No." He cut her off quickly, but politely. The answer was to the point, no more and no less than it needed to be. He caught sight of her shoulders sinking, and she sounded deflated.

"No? Not even one?" Athena could sense him wavering, and against her better judgment, pressed him perhaps a bit further than she had intended. ". . . Not even someone you liked?"

 _Th-Thump. Th-Thump._

There it was. The way his heartbeat changed, quickening like someone who's been cornered. It actually made her smile to know that Simon had known love once, and she couldn't hide it as she murmured accusingly: "Aha."

"Maybe one," he admitted, knowing he had been caught. Her curiosity burned, but she couldn't bring herself to ask outright. Instead, she waited, allowing him to go at his own pace, and she was rewarded when he continued. "Someone well-respected in her field, and more than worthy of all the love and admiration she commanded. She was married to her work, however, and . . . otherwise emotionally unavailable at the time that I knew her."

"You never told her," Athena guessed. Then she corrected herself, after reading small cues in his reaction: "Something happened."

 _I happened,_ she thought, though she didn't know why.

He swallowed the bitter laughter welling up inside of him. His smile came out mysteriously as he shook his head. She could tell he wasn't going to indulge her by saying any more, but she also felt more connected to this person he was describing than ever before. She couldn't put her finger on why . . .

"Actually," said Simon, as if to hammer that feeling in, "you remind me of her."

He took on a tone more gentle than she realized was possible for him, and something inside her melted. She felt like goo. Butterflies assaulted her stomach, as if trying to get out, and her cheeks warmed. It wasn't a confession, but she suspected it was the closest he had ever come. Whatever he may have meant, it was clearly a compliment, and she beamed, taking it as such.

"Well . . . thanks," Athena replied. For once, she was at a loss for words, but tread on carefully. "You must think about her a lot."

"Mostly about what she has taught me," he agreed. He met her eyes and stared into them, adding: "and what she has left behind."

Athena crumpled under his gaze, clueless, but nevertheless, she returned his knowing smile. The Ferris wheel continued to turn until finally, their car began a slow descent.

She stood then, too abruptly for him to react, and shuffled her way to the opposite side where he was sitting. It was a clumsy move. She was acting on a whim, he could tell. She nearly landed on top of him as the car wobbled from the shifting weight, but she just barely managed to catch herself and turn so that she was sitting next to him instead.

"Why did you do that?" Simon asked. He was breathing uneasily. The car was leaning, but not dangerously, and she looked comfortable.

"I wanted to sit next to you," she answered simply. She could have added a 'Duh!' and the childishness would not have been out of place. "I like getting to know you better. Plus, it's only for a little while longer, anyway."

She decided to leave out the fact that she could also hear the soothing rhythm of his heart better as she gently leaned against him. Simon didn't protest or move. He muttered, rather affectionately as he bit back another smile: "You are strange."

"Happy Valentine's Day to you, too," Athena said, amused, and Simon seemed taken aback. Was that what this was all about? Thankfully, she saved him the trouble of responding. "I know you didn't know. I didn't either, but it means a lot that you stuck around and humored me." Her tone softened. She laughed to quell her nerves. ". . . So, thanks. For everything, I guess."

She felt like he didn't hear it enough—or at least, that she didn't say it enough, but he seemed to take it in kind.

"Consider planning it a little better next year," Simon teased.

And Athena smirked, without missing a single beat. "What—and ruin the fun?"

* * *

 **A/N:** _Right! So . . . I don't really see Simon as someone who's had a lot of girlfriends, but I DO think he had a Thing for Metis, much like his sister. I wanted to address the awkwardness of that in context of the Cykesquill ship and this was the result. I didn't mention Metis by name, but hopefully it was obvious enough?_

 _It's a little early for Valentine's Day, but what the heck. I hope you enjoyed this one, even more so than usual as it's one of my persona favorites._

 _Thank you as always for taking the time to read it. All comments, favs and kudos are really appreciated. Til next time!_


	11. The Quiet One

**Title:** The Quiet One  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** Has she ever struck someone in anger? How does she feel about that?  
 **Characters:** Athena Cykes, Simon Blackquill, misc. OC (female)  
 **Word Count:** 847  
 **Summary:** Athena didn't like bullies.  
 **Notes:** Flashback. Takes place well before Dual Destinies and Simon's imprisonment, but otherwise no specific timeline.

* * *

Athena's hand was shaking beneath the wrapping.

The nurse had left her alone with her thoughts for the moment, which she was kind of thankful for, but at the same time, the adrenaline was starting to wear off and it actually started to hurt. The young girl was restless. She would hop off the bed and pace while she waited, rubbing her sore hand with her good one. A sigh escaped her lips as she stopped near the exit door, and she bit her lip, thinking back on the moment it happened.

It wasn't the smartest move. She was certainly embarrassed, even now, hours later—but at least punching the boy felt good.

"I was surprised," she could hear a voice saying. It was coming from outside the room. "She's usually so shy. I guess it's true what they say about the quiet ones."

"Was she hurt?"

Athena gasped. She recognized the second voice. The first, belonging to the nurse, chuckled.

"No, it's actually the boy I was worried about. That's why I—"

"Let me see her."

Athena opened the door in that moment. Before her stood the nurse, and a rather tall young man, clad in his usual black and white colors to match his hair, wavy and short. He turned to face Athena before the nurse could protest, and Athena was immediately drawn to his side.

"Simon!"

"Athena," he said, in his usual stoic way. His voice was gentle and eager, and his eyes were wide with curiosity. "What happened?"

She pouted. The floor was suddenly very interesting, but it sadly didn't swallow her up, no matter how hard she willed it.

"He was . . . He was saying mean things. About Junie." Athena left it at that, since she would rather not think about the specifics that led up to the altercation, nor the insults that ended up being the last straw. She frowned, knowing she had other things to worry about. "Mom sent you, didn't she?" she asked. "Is she mad?"

"She is . . . concerned," Simon admitted.

He chose his words carefully, but Athena knew what they meant. She grumbled, "That's a yes."

"Now, now," the nurse said. "Let's not worry about that right now. Athena . . . I'm sorry, but I'm going to need you to apologize to him."

"Will _he_ apologize to Junie?" Athena asked, tone indignant. She folded her arms, which was still unlike her, and the nurse was stunned for it.

"I . . ." The nurse stammered, before sighing in defeat. "I'm sure that can be arranged."

Oh. Athena actually looked surprised at this, and she seemed to melt almost immediately back into herself. She looked relieved, conceding: "Okay! Then I'll think about it."

It was hard to scold her further when she perked up so. The nurse hadn't meant to give the impression that the apology was _optional_ , but hey. She would cross that bridge when she came to it. Right now, the boy in question was resting, out like a light, and she seriously doubted he would complain about the time out of class.

"Well," she began, when no one else broke the silence. In particular, she eyed Athena's hand. "Honestly, this is grounds for a suspension, but I'm kind of inclined to make an exception." The nurse sighed, as if she was going to regret her words. "Do you want to go back to class?"

"Sure," Athena replied, though in truth she sounded anything but. She was pleasantly surprised, but also uncertain. "Can I really?"

The nurse glanced at Simon and met his steely gaze. "If it's okay with you. You did come all this way."

Simon frowned. Far be it from him to get in the way of her education—she missed school enough already as it was—but with the attention she was likely to be getting, he was afraid for how well she would take it. What would the other kids be saying? Would they fear her, make fun of her? How does that girl, Juniper Woods, feel, knowing that Athena had done that for her sake and gotten reprimanded for it?

Athena would be able to hear all of that.

Nevertheless, Simon turned to her. "What do you want to do?"

"I know you're worried," she replied immediately. "But I want to see Junie. I need to make sure she's okay . . ." She trailed off before deciding: "I'll be fine now."

Simon hesitated, grunting indecisively, but Athena knew that she had won before even he did.

"Very well," he conceded.

"Yay!"

The nurse laughed, feeling her heart warm a few degrees. "Off with you then," she said. "But we'll talk about this, okay? Behave yourself."

"Okay," Athena agreed meekly. She knew it wasn't over.

Simon walked her back to the classroom, where he glared at anyone who so much as looked at her funny, and then lingered in the hallway for a few boring, uneventful minutes to make sure the teacher really could handle it from there.

Finally, he found himself leaving the school, and he made his way slowly back to the space center, sighing.

Just what would he tell Metis, anyway?

* * *

 **A/N:** _I knew I wanted to try writing young Athena and Simon for some of these prompts, so this was one of them. There are a couple more in the line-up, too, so any comments, pointers or slip-ups you notice are appreciated! You know, while I can still edit the other ones._

 _Haha, anyway, thanks so much for reading, and I apologize for the lateness this week. Tales of Berseria consumed my soul . . . pun intended._

 _This makes #11 of the series. I hope you've enjoyed it thusfar, and continue to enjoy the stories to come. Til next time!_


	12. Magic of the Heart

**Title:** Magic of the Heart  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** If a spell turned him into the animal that most resembles his heart, what would he turn into?  
 **Characters:** Athena Cykes, Phoenix Wright, Trucy Wright  
 **Word Count:** 895  
 **Summary:** Phoenix can't say no to a party, or his daughter, no matter how silly it all seems.

* * *

It was no wonder that Phoenix was a little worried.

After all, a party to celebrate the success of Trucy's latest magic show _seemed_ like a good idea on paper, but making it open to all her fans was something he only agreed to after a lot of consideration. He hesitated, but naturally, he knew that a good turnout was important to his daughter; so in the end, he caved and made the invitation public. After that, he could only hope for the best.

'Hope for the best,' meaning he made sure to personally invite Miles Edgeworth, Simon Blackquill, and pretty much any capable, able-bodied, menacing-looking person of authority he could think of. Simon required the most convincing—particularly after he clarified that Trucy wanted it to be a _costume_ party—so after he declined, Phoenix decided to call on Athena.

"Tell him he can bring Taka," he offered. His tone began half-jokingly until he realized the appearance of a bird of prey might actually help keep people in line, especially when perched on the shoulder of an ex-con. "In fact, I insist."

Athena laughed. "Oh, alright. I'll see what I can do," she said. "I can't promise he'll be in costume, but I'll figure something out."

"That's alright." Phoenix shook his head, adding: "He and Edgeworth can be non-costume wearing, broody wallflowers together."

"Does that mean you're going to be in costume too, boss?"

Athena seemed surprised, and Phoenix nodded. "She already picked something out," he replied, reaching to rub at the spikes at the back of his head. "Turns out she can be very convincing. Wonder who she got that from."

"I wonder." Athena stuck out her tongue. There were three lawyers in her life that he could take his pick from for an answer, but it was only natural he was thinking of himself. She shrugged. "Well, I have some catching up to do, then! I still don't know what my costume's going to be."

"I think she's going for an animal theme, if that helps," Phoenix offered. ". . . Anyway, let me know how it goes. With Simon."

"Aye aye, captain," Athena saluted.

At least she still had a few days.

Penrose Theater was the place.

Everything was going well. There was a sea of brightly-colored costumes, from flamingos to cat girls, dogs, and more. The turnout was testament to how popular Trucy had become, and while actual murder magnet Phoenix Wright was still worried about things going south, he couldn't help but be proud of her as well.

He was, of course, dressed as an actual phoenix. For Trucy, there was no other animal more perfect, or that resembled his heart more. Taking it a step further than just 'animal costumes,' that was what she was really going for as her party's theme: _spirit_ animals, ones that were truly tailored for the person wearing them.

The little addition had been Athena's idea, after Phoenix told her about it.

He flapped his wings (arms) lamely.

"I feel like a Moltres," he said.

"The best Moltres," Trucy insisted. She herself was dressed as a blue penguin. In Pokemon terms, she was something resembling a Piplup, and she was grinning, clearly pleased with the costume. She insisted that the color scheme was perfect and made her feel super comfortable—exactly like herself.

"Hey, I think that's Athena." Phoenix spoke up suddenly, squinting into the crowd.

Hearing that, Trucy perked up to find her. It didn't take her long. Immediately Trucy was laughing, seeing Athena's costume choice: a yellow chick, paper beak and all. Apparently the nickname stuck.

"Oh my gosh!" Trucy cried excitedly.

Athena was already making her way over, but it was then that Trucy caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye. It was just for a moment, but she glanced over to the wall distractedly, looking past Mr. Edgeworth to see . . .

A panda.

A panda, with a hawk perched on its shoulder.

"Oh my _gosh_ ," Trucy squeaked, this time more seriously.

"Hey, guys!" Athena arrived on the scene then, waving. Trucy was still stunned, and by then, Phoenix was staring, too.

"Is that Simon Blackquill?" Trucy asked, dumbfounded.

"I don't believe it," Phoenix added, in a laugh. "What did you do?"

"Huh?" It took a moment for Athena to catch on to the conversation. She adjusted her beak playfully, and looked innocent enough. "Oh, well, you know. I can be pretty convincing too, when I wanna be."

"Blackmail," Phoenix guessed. He looked thoughtful. "Bribery?"

"Hey!" Athena elbowed him. "I resent that."

Phoenix and Trucy both laughed. Trucy watched the panda prosecutor for a moment longer before turning back to Athena, the yellow chick. Trucy looked impressed, complimenting her accordingly: "And I thought my magic was good. That must be some spell you cast on him."

"It wears off at midnight," Athena said, without missing a beat. She grinned, continuing dismissively: "So! Let's enjoy, shall we? Drinks for everyone!"

A cheer of agreement erupted among them. They meandered towards the refreshments, where Athena took the liberty of pouring out the punch, passing them along until all three of them had a cup. She held up her own.

"To Trucy!" she exclaimed.

"To Trucy!"

"To me!"

They toasted, laughing. They drank. And even though Phoenix still insisted he was entirely too old for this, he decided he wouldn't regret this night.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Whew! After much procrastination and delay, here's #12. You have my apologies (and for my lack of responses as well, dear reviewers). It's a silly one, you'll have to forgive me, but the mental image of Simon as a panda got away from me, heh._

 _The wait between this one and the next will (hopefully) not be nearly as long. Thank you as always for your continued support. c: Comments, favs, etc. are appreciated!_


	13. Opportunity

**Title:** Opportunity  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What person has most influenced her development as an adult?  
 **Characters:** Athena Cykes, Phoenix Wright  
 **Word Count:** 1,107  
 **Summary:** It was the kind of offer Athena worked for years to get. There was no way she could refuse.  
 **Notes:** Pre-Dual Destinies, flashback fic set in Europe.

* * *

Athena's eyes were wide. Her heart was pounding out of her chest.

Everything, literally everything was telling her that this was really happening, that it wasn't just another dream. Even so, she could only stare, dumbfounded, at the snappily dressed man sitting before her, who somehow made spiked hair look elegant.

She'd met him before, of course. She knew his face well, and his reputation preceded him. She'd even worked with him a few times, when he visited her university, but she never would've guessed that she actually caught his attention. The demonstrations of her special ability, of Widget in particular . . . to someone like Phoenix Wright, surely it was all just make-believe, her special hearing merely an act. He was a man of the law, of science, of hard evidence!

Sometimes, she supposed, it was a blessing to learn she couldn't always read people as well as she thought.

"I wouldn't be able to assign you your own cases right away," Phoenix was saying. "Trust me, you don't want me to do that, anyway. But you'd still be considered a full time lawyer with my agency."

They were sitting in a place of her own choosing: her favorite German cafe just around the corner from the apartment where she was staying. Phoenix took a sip of his tea, something he acquired a taste for in his travels abroad, no doubt thanks to a certain chief prosecutor friend of his back home. Athena's cup remained untouched though as she tried to wrap her head around all this. Not that she would ever dream of refusing him! But this was . . .

It was life changing. Was she ready?

"But I . . ." she muttered, uncertainty clouding her voice. "I don't even have an American attorney's badge. I graduated here, in Europe."

It was a bridge she hadn't yet crossed, though she always planned to return to America someday to take on its courts. The question was whether now was the right time for it.

"Right . . ." Phoenix touched a hand to his chin, seeming thoughtful. He was prepared, though. For once. "I did bring that up with a friend of mine. You'll need to pass the bar, but that should convince them to let you practice over there without any more schooling." He paused for breath, watching her reaction carefully. "I'll vouch for you, too, of course. Plus, I'm not exactly a stranger to the exam, so I could help you study."

Athena opened her mouth, but no words came out. A moment later, she stammered: "That's it?"

More studying? That she could do. She had studied all her life.

"Was there something else?" Phoenix asked.

She swallowed, hesitating. "The plane ticket," she answered. There was no way she could afford the move, but he evidently had an answer for that, too.

"Oh," he said. It was apparently such a nonissue in his eyes that he hadn't even thought to bring it up. He flashed a grin. "The agency will cover that as a courtesy. One way only, of course. If you ever want to come back on vacation or something, you're on your own."

Athena bit her lip to curb her growing excitement. "Where will I live?"

"That," Phoenix mused, "I don't know. It'll be up to you, but there are plenty of cheap apartments near the office that take applications online. I'm sure they offer video tours as well. We can look into it."

 _We._ She could hear the inclusiveness in his voice that had been present from the very beginning when he put the offer on the table. She hadn't met any others from his agency just yet, but she could tell they were like family to him. It was presumptuous of her, perhaps, to assume she could expect similar treatment, but she stood abruptly before she could think of more questions to press him with.

"Athena?" He looked startled, straightening his back.

"I accept."

Phoenix said nothing at first. His lips slowly curled into a smile though as her answer processed, and he clearly looked pleased. She had to ignore the prying eyes she sensed on her all of the sudden, all the murmurs around her that burned with curiosity. She glanced about the cafe uneasily, but nodded, as if to finalize her answer.

"I have no idea . . ." Her voice trailed softly, and she continued: "I mean, I don't know if my special hearing can really help you. I hope you're right. I hope that it does. But no matter what, I've worked for this, and this is something I have to do. I would have to be crazy to even think about turning you down!"

Phoenix laughed. "I was hoping you'd say . . . well, something like that."

The girl was certainly full of surprises. He wasn't quite expecting the dramatic outburst of emotion, nor did he expect that hug after she closed the distance between them. Nevertheless, he reciprocated by snaking his arms around her shoulders carefully.

"Thank you," she said, and he was almost certain she was crying.

"I'll book our flight today." The awkwardness finally got to him and he had to pull away, though his hands still remained squarely on her shoulders. He squeezed gently. "It won't be for about another month or so, but I'll have a contract ready for you to look over and sign by then. Sound good?"

"Better than good." She grinned, returning to her seat to make herself comfortable. "Great."

"Then we'll be in touch." Phoenix held out his hand. It took her a moment to notice— she was still starstruck— but she shook it eagerly as he added: "And I'll let Apollo know the good news."

Athena could sense the conversation coming to an end. At least it would be on a high note. She asked: "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah." He was already standing. His head was held high, though, and she followed suit, almost like she was planning to follow him. "Sorry to rush out on you, but I actually have a trial to observe at the courthouse today. I just wanted to make sure I squared things away with you first."

Ah. Athena tried to hide her disappointment, though evidently didn't do a particularly good job.

"Hey," he said, chuckling. "Don't give me that look. Next time you can come with me. Okay?"

She saluted him playfully. "You got it, boss."

It was a little soon for that, he thought, but she already seemed comfortable with the idea. It made him feel old, too to hear himself called that, but he had to admit, it wasn't a bad feeling.

He would teach her a thing or two yet.

* * *

 **A/N:** _I always thought it was a shame that we never got to see Athena's introduction on screen. I feel like it hurt her character's reception in the end, and while many of us still appreciate her, I think it would've made it easier for the naysayers to accept her as part of the cast if we'd seen how it happened._

 _ANYWAY, another one that's pretty light on the shipping, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway! c: This makes #13 (oooh, spooky) of the series. Comments, kudos, etc are appreciated. Please look forward to the next!_


	14. Just in Case

**Title:** Just in Case  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What does he always carry with him?  
 **Characters:** Simon Blackquill, Athena Cykes  
 **Word Count:** 726  
 **Summary:** Simon visits his favorite nature reserve for some peace and quiet. Naturally, inviting Athena renders this impossible.

* * *

Every time Simon looked away, she was way ahead of him again. Her energy was seemingly endless, hard to keep up with, and he couldn't even blame her for being excited.

Rosewood Nature Reserve had much to offer: its trees were lush and green, its plants were vibrant and beautiful, and a lot of surprises lurked around every corner. Forest critters darted across the leafy floor, and birds soared the vast canopy overhead. It was actually where he met Taka for the first time, which obviously meant a lot to him.

It was also one of his favorite places in general to visit for some peace and quiet.

Inviting Athena, admittedly, had defeated this purpose.

"I brought you along because you said you wanted to help," said Simon, raising his voice. He carried a rather hefty trash bag with him, and the load suggested that they'd been at it for quite a while. "Not so you could squeal over everything like a child."

"Shush, Mr. Fun Police," Athena replied, undeterred. "I'm just making sure I don't miss anything! There are just so many different angles and possibilities . . ." She trailed off as Simon caught up to her, and he fought the urge to wrestle the camera she had right out of her hands. Instead, he accidentally startled her, and he had to catch it when she dropped it. He dropped the trash bag in the process, but did not miss a beat.

"Possibilities, or hazards?" he asked flatly. Before she could protest, he looped the strap around her neck so the camera could hang from it the way it was meant to. He grabbed her wrist when she immediately reached for it, and his tone was suddenly more serious. "No, keep it there."

"I wasn't going to take it off," she pouted. But she got the point. Simon let go of her. _Of course you weren't._

Once he picked up the trash bag again, he resumed following behind her.

She actually _was_ being helpful, despite him suggesting otherwise. She was just also easily distracted. It wasn't too long before she was crouching down again at something on the ground. Her gasp dashed his hopes that she was, perhaps, just picking up another piece of trash.

"What's this?" she asked curiously. Immediately, she stood and was turning around to show him something wooden and house-shaped, excitement coloring her face. "A bird feeder!"

Simon wondered if she was expecting a gold star. He nodded though, saying, "It must have fallen during the last storm."

That made sense. Athena tilted her head as she examined the tiny house further, shaking off the dirt and leaves that were all over it. If there was ever anything in it to attract the birds, there wasn't anymore, but at least it was still in one piece.

"Easy enough to fix," Athena said, "but it doesn't look like there's anything left inside . . ."

He considered her words for a moment. Without saying anything, Simon opened his coat and reached into his pockets. It took him a couple tries to find the right one, but he still managed to pull out a small bag of bird seeds without her noticing. He offered it to her.

"Huh?" She looked confused at first, but her face quickly lit like a flame. "Oh, perfect! Where did you get those?"

"The store." Simon shrugged. "They're mine, of course."

"Oh, of course," Athena parroted mockingly with a wave of her hand. Then it hit her as she accepted the bag. She gently ripped it open, turning to look at him. "Wait. These are yours."

"Why are you repeating what we just established?" he asked—frankly with more patience than he thought he had.

"You carry around bird seeds with you?"

Simon shrugged again. There was no embarrassment behind it, and he didn't try to deny it. In truth, he hadn't really given it much thought. He spoke honestly. "They aren't Taka's favorite treat, but I keep them on hand. Just in case."

 _In case of what? Bird snack emergency?_

Athena opened her mouth to say something, but closed it quickly, swallowing the thought. Then she opened it again.

"You," she began, but already, she was chuckling. "You are such a nerd." Simon scoffed. "A bird nerd," she added gleefully.

Even he couldn't help but crack a smile.

Well, she wasn't wrong.

* * *

 **A/N:** _IDK, I saw this question and this headcanon immediately came to mind. I had to work it in somehow. Spoilers: Simon spoils his birb._

 _Anyway, thanks for reading this, as usual! Someday I'll get back to my weekend schedule again, but either way, I hope you enjoy. Thanks for your support in the form of comments, favs, what have you c:_


	15. Imperfect

**Title:** Imperfect  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What's her favorite retreat?  
 **Characters:** Simon Blackquill, Phoenix Wright, Athena Cykes  
 **Word Count:** 1,730  
 **Summary:** Winning wasn't everything, Athena knew. Still, it stung.

* * *

Simon Blackquill wasn't one for social calls. There were days when his cell phone felt like a mobile prison; if it wasn't one thing, it was another. Still, he recognized that it was a necessary part of his life, and he always kept it on him, even if he didn't always answer it.

That afternoon, it rang while he was enjoying a late lunch by himself at a local sandwich shop near his house. He ignored it at first, waiting until his voicemail picked it up, but then it started ringing again as the call came a second time. He sighed.

He was forced to put down the drink he had been quietly sipping, but at least bothered to turn over the phone this time so he could see the number displayed on its screen. Naturally, he recognized it. He wasn't in the habit of giving his number to strangers, after all, but that still didn't explain much about the reason behind the call. There was only one way to find that out.

Simon thought about ignoring him again, but picked it up.

"Wright-dono," he greeted.

"Ah, Mr. Blackquill," Phoenix replied, somewhat surprised. Perhaps he wasn't quite expecting Simon to answer. "Sorry to bother you. Am I interrupting something?"

The temptation to bluntly reply with a 'Yes' was staggering. Still, Simon knew better, and he had too much respect for the man after everything to brush him off.

"Nothing important," Simon assured him, after a pause. "What is it?"

"Hopefully nothing," Phoenix said. Simon waited until he clarified. "I was just wondering if you've heard from Athena . . . say, in the past few hours or so?"

Now he had his attention. Simon didn't know what to think, but he certainly didn't like that Phoenix had to ask at all.

"No," Simon replied carefully. "I would have thought she'd be working. She had a trial today."

"She did."

"I assume it ran late," he added.

"It did." Phoenix sighed. "She lost."

Silence. Simon's expression did not change, but Phoenix continued to wait for his reaction.

"Is that all?" Simon asked, sensing his growing distress. It was bound to happen, after all. Athena was still young and green. Beyond that, not every client who walked through their doors could be innocent, especially not with Phoenix Wright's reputation preceding him.

"Yeah," he said. "But you know how she is, Simon. You know how much she believes in her clients." _And who taught her to do that,_ Simon thought; but Phoenix continued. "She took it really hard this time. I just want to make sure she's alright."

Simon sighed. "Where is she?"

"I was hoping you could tell me," Phoenix answered. "Trucy was trying to get in touch with her. She hasn't been answering."

It was hardly reason to send a SWAT team to her apartment. She obviously wanted space.

"There is no need to baby her," Simon said. His voice was cold, but not uncaring. "We both know how she is. You should know by now how quickly she recovers."

"Like I said," Phoenix replied knowingly. "I just want my employees in one piece. I can't be there for her, but you can." Simon suddenly felt a subtle weight on his shoulders after hearing that, a sort of obligation that bubbled inside of him. Evidently Phoenix had picked up a thing or two about manipulative words. He went on when Simon didn't reply: "Please?"

"Don't beg," Simon implored him. He was already standing up, shaking off his annoyance as he readied himself to leave. "I'll find her."

"Great," Phoenix said, relieved. "Let me know."

"Mm."

The call ended. Yes, her apartment would be Simon's first stop, but he got the feeling it wouldn't be the only one.

He had a few ideas.

It didn't take _too_ long. An hour and a half or so, maybe.

He was right, of course: she hadn't gone home. She hadn't visited her favorite noodle stand, nor the burger joint where she took him for his first meal after his release. Her favorite park where she always liked to go to clear her head was rather large, too, so it took him a while to cover all that ground. Luckily the weather was nice, and he still remembered some of her favorite spots from when she was little. That made his search little faster.

It didn't even surprise him when he found her. She was asleep, sound and peaceful, beneath a large tree near the pond at the park's center. Her eyes were still closed when he sat next to her, having to avoid her long, elegant red hair as he did so.

She didn't stir. If she was pretending, she was doing a better job than usual.

"Comfortable?" Simon asked softly.

The tree's rough and jagged roots certainly did not make it seem so, but she could have fooled him. He wasn't sure how long he waited before she finally turned and struggled to lift her head, but it got his attention, and he watched her expectantly. A groan escaped her lips slowly as she opened her eyes.

"Ow," came the first word out of her mouth. She was rubbing a sore spot at the back of her neck when she saw him, and she let out a tired breath. "What time is it?"

"Almost seven," he replied flatly.

Athena didn't react. She merely rubbed some of the sleep out of her eyes as she sat up and stretched her arms and legs.

"I wondered who would find me," she murmured. There was a sad smile on her face he didn't understand. "I knew it would be you."

"This place was always your favorite," Simon replied. He paused, but decided that was enough of an explanation. He moved on: "They were worried about you. Wright-dono and his daughter."

She pulled out her phone just then, knowing what that meant. The small pile of missed calls and texts confirmed it. "I fell asleep," she said simply, as she scrolled through them. There were only a few, in their defense. After that must have been when they decided to talk to Simon.

"Yes," he said. "I see that now."

He watched as her thumbs tapped their way across the screen. It would save him the trouble of delivering the news, at least, if she was replying to them as he thought she was. Then she looked up, catching him in his stare, and she forced an incredulous laugh as she elbowed him lightly. "What? I'm fine."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. He had no words of comfort to offer, but he would listen if that was what she wanted.

Athena hesitated, though, voice faltering. "My guy was guilty." She shrugged. "There's not much to talk about."

If that was how she really felt, he wasn't going to push the issue. He had his doubts though, and he was just beginning to wonder whether staying silent was the right move when she spoke again. "I really believed in him. I should have known."

"You can't always know," Simon told her. "Not even Phoenix Wright can win them all."

"It isn't about winning," Athena replied. She was way past that already. "What good is my special ability if I can't _weed out_ guys like that? I could hear it. I knew there was something about him, but I just . . ." She trailed off. She remembered every smile, every nuance in his voice that she rationalized and dismissed as he lied. Every charming wave of her client's hand. She shook her head. "It was too late."

"Your ability isn't flawless," he offered. "You are not flawless."

"Thanks," Athena replied. Her lips twitched though, despite the sarcasm. "That makes me feel better."

Simon frowned, taking the hint, and decided to keep quiet. A month ago and he probably would have slapped her, or shook her—a method which had already proven itself effective in the past. He didn't have to say anything though for her to catch onto the fact that he was trying his best. She shouldn't have made fun of him for it, even jokingly.

"Kidding," she said. "Sorry. I know I'm not perfect."

Of course, the important part was not recognizing that she was not perfect. It was knowing that no one expected her to be. He decided to take his own advice, however, and did not baby her. He listened, he kept an open mind. She could take it from there.

"Anyway," she said, when he didn't reply, "The nap really helped. Waking up to see you really did, too." She hesitated, seeming embarrassed, but finished: "So thanks."

From his standpoint, he didn't do much of anything—but he nodded, accepting her gratitude. Despite how cold Simon sometimes acted, he smiled warmly, and she could tell he was relieved to hear it.

"They will still be counting on you in the future," he reminded her. "You and those ears of yours. Don't let one rotten apple discourage you."

"I won't," she assured him. She nudged him a second time, and she felt the weight of his hand atop her head. It wasn't until a moment later that she realized he was standing. She tilted his head up at him. "You're leaving?"

"Aren't you?" he asked. Athena hesitated, and he added in a tease: "I thought you'd be hungry by now."

She stuck his tongue out at him and crossed her arms. "I am, since you asked," she replied. "But I also want to watch the sun set across the pond."

He followed her gaze, folding his own arms. The sky was a deep orange color, and the water sparkled back at him like jewelry. His shoulders sank slightly as he took in the view and he sat back down against the tree.

"Fine," he said. "I will stay."

"Hmm?" Athena looked at him innocently. She was trying not to smile. "I don't remember asking you to."

"You did."

"Did not."

"You think you're the only one who can read people's hearts?" Simon asked. His smile then was more of a smirk, one Athena had come to know well.

"Shut up," she said. Her cheeks were slightly red, but if anyone asked, he didn't notice it. He simply did as she asked.

The quiet moment they shared together next was one he wouldn't have traded for the world.

* * *

 **A/N:** _One of my absolute favorite parts of 6-4 was when Simon literally shook Athena out of her fear and self-doubt. I decided to explore a gentler approach here; but of course YMMV. Let me know how well it jives with your idea of Simon and how he would react._

 _This makes #15. One of these days I'll get back to my weekend schedule, I swear. Anyway, thank you for reading! Comments/favs/etc are appreciated. Until the next :)_


	16. Sleepover

**Title:** Sleepover  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** List 5 things that could motivate him to violence.  
 **Characters:** Athena Cykes, Ema Skye, Maya Fey  
 **Word Count:** 915  
 **Summary:** What happens when you put Ema, Maya, and Athena in a room together for a night?

* * *

"So, wait," Maya was saying, almost offended. "He's an actual samurai? How come Nick never told me about him?!"

"He's a prosecutor," Ema corrected her, "but yes. I've worked with him before." She continued dramatically, deciding that if Maya was that into the idea, she could go along with it, too. She put on her best spooky stories voice. "Everyone calls him the twisted samurai."

"And," Athena added, beaming, "he even wields a sword, just like a samurai!"

Maya gasped.

The three girls were enjoying a well-deserved ladies' night at Athena's apartment, and they were just taking a break from their Steel Samurai marathon that ended up lasting several hours. Maya threw a pillow at Ema every single time she tried to explain away the show's magic with science. She threw two for a double-whammy whenever she tried to complain about how something was impossible or didn't make sense. Eventually, Ema had to wonder where the pillows were coming from, but Athena just laughed.

Despite being the youngest of the three girls, she was the one who ultimately settled them down. Granted, she was the host, this time around.

The topic of Simon Blackquill had come up, who was away for a couple days for a case, and Athena was all to eager to play along. It was cute to see how excitable Maya was at two o' clock in the morning.

"That is so cool!" Maya was saying. "I bet the Judge even lets him use it in court." _Just like Franziska and her whip,_ she thought, but that was another can of worms all together.

Athena laughed shyly. "Well . . . I wouldn't exactly call it permission, but yeah. He's been known to draw it sometimes."

Ema nodded. "You can tell when he gets really mad, because he reaches for it. Like when he catches his witnesses lying and stuff." She grinned smugly, adjusting her favorite pair of pink sunglasses atop her head. Athena wondered why she didn't take them off, but they matched her pajamas, and she decided not to question it. Ema continued: "That's why my testimony is always based in scientific evidence."

"But he doesn't actually hurt anyone, does he?" Maya asked. Her eyes were wide, brimming with curiosity and Athena quickly shook her head.

"No, no. He's never gone that far," she replied with a wave of her hand. "But he does train with it, and it's obvious he knows how to use it. It's pretty scary when he gets violent."

She saw Maya's eyes sparkle. Ema caught it, too, and continued to encourage her. She nodded to agree and added a warning: "So when Athena introduces you, don't provoke him."

"Why would I do that?" Maya asked in a laugh. "I want his autograph!"

"You never know," Ema sang playfully. "He's unpredictable, that one. Not a fan of surprises."

"Mm. And then there's Taka to worry about," Athena added mournfully.

"Taka?"

Ema gasped and covered her mouth. "That's right. I can't believe I almost forgot."

Maya waited patiently, tilting her head. For her benefit, Athena explained. "Taka is his pet hawk. You don't want to mess with him, either."

"He does pretty much whatever Simon says," Ema added. She paused. ". . . No pun intended."

Athena waved her hand, biting back a snicker. "Just don't say anything bad about him," she said. "Or about birds in general. You'll be fine."

Maya opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again. She was a sheltered girl growing up, sure, but she'd learned a lot during her time with Nick and in Khura'in. She wasn't stupid. "You guys are totally pulling my leg, aren't you?"

Athena and Ema looked at each other, their expressions innocent.

"Nope." Ema reached for a snackoo from her bag.

". . . Ema and I are just having some fun." Athena nudged her, and reached over for a snackoo herself. Her chocolate weakness was at its worst in moments like this, when she was happy and worry-free. "But he really does have a katana. And a hawk."

"He really loves his birds." Ema rolled her eyes.

Maya laughed. She couldn't fault him for that. "I'll be sure to say hi to both of them, but it sounds like I should hold off on that autograph for now."

It was late. No one noticed who had been the first to yawn, but it spread quickly. Maya was determined to squeeze in one last episode of the Steel Samurai, but Ema was already snuggled in her sleeping bag when the theme song started to play. The detective didn't understand how she could still be so excited about it, when she'd clearly seen the entire series before, but she stopped questioning it.

"Hey. By the way," said Ema, and she immediately had the attention of the other two. "If you pick a fight with Athena, he really will kill you."

Athena, having thought the topic was dropped, stared open-mouthed. Then she took a page out of Maya's book and gently pelted Ema with a pillow.

"Oh shush, you," Athena muttered. The lights were turned out then, with only the light of the TV to see by, but she could've sworn she noticed her blush as she was hit. Ema lifted her arm playfully to block Athena's onslaught.

"I'm serious!" she laughed.

Maya decided to join in the fun, too. Soon the show was forgotten, relegated to background noise as she grabbed her pillow and aimed for Athena. She smiled mischievously. "Let's test that theory!"

* * *

 **A/N:** _I am so bad at keeping an update schedule, you guys. I'm so sorry, and it's only going to be worse for a while as I'm going on a vacation for about 3 weeks; but I digress. Please bear with me!_

 _This one was a prompt that was clearly meant to be serious but I took it in a different direction and made it silly instead. I'm definitely glad I finally got to include Maya. She is still #1 in my heart as far as assistant characters go. She and Simon would be a lot of fun, wouldn't it? I also really like the idea of him and Ema doing cases together sometimes. I bring this idea back in at least one later story, so yay for that!_

 _Anyway! Thank you for your patience, and for reading, as always. All your feedback is appreciated in any form, and as I said, please bear with me for the next one c: It may take a while._


	17. Opposites

**Title:** Opposites  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** Who is her best friend?  
 **Characters:** Athena Cykes, Juniper Woods  
 **Word Count:** 1,192  
 **Summary:** Sometimes, being a best friend meant breaking bad news.  
 **Notes:** Major end-game Spirit of Justice spoilers.

* * *

The tricky thing about private jets was that they ran on their own schedules. It wasn't as if she could just look up when her best friend would be landing. All she had were the texts from across the globe with an approximate time, at best. Still, Juniper showed up early, pacing as more arrivals flooded through the double doors from their commercial flights.

Was she even in the right place? She was beginning to doubt it, but the security officer had _said_ there would be private arrivals too . . .

She had to stop herself every once and a while, whenever a coughing fit would hit her. Then she'd take a seat to wait it out, but it was never for long. Her inhalers, conveniently shaped like sunflowers, helped like always, but not as much as the colorful collection of suits, finally coming through next. Her eyes widened and she sprang up immediately, clinging to her hat as she scrambled to meet them.

"Mr. Wright!"

"Juniper?" Phoenix looked stunned, but his reaction was short-lived as Athena followed in step behind him.

"Junie!"

She gasped. "Thena!"

"You didn't have to come all this way," Athena replied, embracing her.

"I was worried," Juniper said. She pulled away slightly. "After I read your texts, all those awful things I saw on the news . . . a- a revolution?"

"It wasn't all awful," Phoenix interjected, recalling how he ended a twenty-three year Guilty streak.

Athena laughed a bit, adjusting her friend's hat. "Everything's fine. We have a lot to catch up on."

The group continued walking, and Juniper suddenly glanced behind her as Miles Edgeworth and Trucy took up the rear. She recognized them, but turned back to Athena after politely smiling in acknowledgment. "Where's Apollo?"

Suddenly, as if it was choreographed, everyone slowed to a stop. It was subtle, however, and it took a moment for Juniper to notice everyone suddenly going quiet, avoiding her eyes. Only Athena welcomed the elephant in the room. With a smile radiating sadness, Athena put a hand on Junie's shoulder and squeezed gently.

"Wh-What? What is it?" Juniper looked panicked at the sudden contact. "Is he okay?!"

"Whoa, whoa, down girl. He's fine! Actually, better than fine," Athena assured her. She turned to Phoenix. "Boss, do you mind if I . . . ?"

There was a silence as their eyes met, and there seemed to be a mutual understanding. Phoenix nodded without much hesitation. "Sure. Take all the time you need," he said. "Just stop by the office later, if you can. Paperwork and all that. You know how it is."

"You got it." She saluted. Juniper studied all of their faces as they spoke (some more animatedly than others). They said some final words, made plans and separated until only Athena was left. "Come on! Let's have a girl's day."

"Right now?" Juniper was alarmed at the sudden suggestion, but nonetheless, followed when Athena started to lead her away. The worry in her expression mixed with curiosity. "But . . . aren't you tired? What happened?"

The truth was that Athena _was_ tired. The long flight and the time difference would surely take their toll on her. She missed her friend terribly, though, and there was no one better to break the news to her.

"Junie, Apollo decided to stay," Athena began.

"Stay?"

"In Khura'in. Just for a while," she tried to sound reassuring, but bit her lip, adding: "Maybe a long while."

Juniper looked down at her feet, considering the information. Athena could tell the question running through her mind, but rather than overwhelm her (not a terribly difficult thing to do), she waited for her to ask. "How come?"

"Well, you know," Athena answered, trying to maintain her cheer, "With everything that happened, Khura'in is . . . a hot mess right now. I mean, legally speaking. And a lot of people still need his help. He realized that, so . . . the morning we left, he made his decision. They need him more than we do."

"Oh . . ."

"There was talk of him opening up his own law firm and everything! He'll probably . . . I mean, he'll be busy, but—"

"That's wonderful," Juniper cut her off, wiping at her eye. She was smiling, though, or at least trying to. After all, how could she not be happy for him?

"He promised to write! All the time," Athena continued. "Plus, he said he'd be back."

There was so much more she wanted to tell her. About Apollo's family, about Dhurke, about Nahyuta. Athena stopped herself, though, deciding not to rush things. Not to mention, she had to leave _some_ stories for Apollo to tell for himself, when the time came. Athena put an arm around Juniper, grinning.

"Tell you what," Athena said. "I was going to wait until he was a little more settled, but why don't we write him first?"

"Huh?"

"Yeah!" Athena's tone was bright, as if she had just discovered the answer to _everything_. "We can whip up a little something together and mail it out tomorrow. Come on. _Allonsy!_ "

"But it's so sudden—!"

Athena had picked up her pace despite the protest, and Juniper had to speed up just a smidge out of her comfort level to match it. It didn't last long, though. She noticed they were making a beeline for a small cluster of cafes and fast food joints, and the inviting smell made her stomach growl. She placed a hand over it to will it silent, but otherwise ignored it and continued to fret indecisively.

"I don't know," Juniper said, as they closed the distance on the shops. "We probably shouldn't bother him if he's doing such important work."

"Nonsense. He'll love to hear from us," Athena waved a hand. "We can do it right now, over lunch! I'm starving."

"You're always starving," Junie teased. (But it was a good idea, since she was obviously hungry, too.)

"Like I can help it! Travel really does a number on my appetite."

Juniper couldn't argue with that. She sighed, and after a pause where they both just stood there, taking in their options, she asked the only question that naturally followed. "So, what would you like to eat then?"

"Uh . . ." Athena thought about it, glancing around at all the colorful, attention-grabbing menus. "I could totally go for a steak. A nice big and juicy one. With fries!" She turned to Juniper. "What about you?"

"Um . . . maybe just a salad."

They were both grinning by the time they chose somewhere to stop.

In a lot of ways, they had grown up to be total opposites, from their attitudes to what and how much they ate, but one look at them and you just knew they were inseparable.

They had a notebook in front of them the entire time, and they took turns writing in it between bites. Athena teased. Juniper blushed and tried to cross things out. Athena nudged her affectionately, encouraging her to eat more, while Junie acted embarrassed and tried to get Athena to control herself. Athena was loud, and Junie was quiet.

Between the two of them, Apollo was sure to get one heck of a letter.

And they wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Hello, hello, I'm back from my vacation! Did you miss me? Hopefully updates will be a bit more regular now._

 _But anyway, I really wanted to see how someone like Junie would react to such a big decision on Apollo's part. It was not addressed (like so many other things COUGH), so I decided give it a try. "Missing scenes from canon" are some of my favorite fics to write._

 _Let me know what you think, and as always, thank you so much for your readership and patience! And comments, favs, etc, etc C:_


	18. Inspiration

**Title:** Inspiration  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What piece of artwork does he have in a space he calls his own?  
 **Characters:** Simon Blackquill, Larry Butz, Athena Cykes (brief)  
 **Word Count:** 1,715  
 **Summary:** Whatever he was selling, Simon wasn't buying. At least, that's what he thought . . .

* * *

 _PENROSE THEATER — CLOSED TODAY FOR PRIVATE REHEARSAL_

So read the sign, which told Simon nothing he didn't already know. Of course, he probably _could_ have gained access to the theater anyway, given how well he knew the Wright Anything Agency, and how desperate Trucy always was for assistants . . . but he was perfectly content where he was. Outside, and waiting.

Poor Athena hadn't been as lucky. It was harder for her to avoid Trucy's wiles, especially with Apollo overseas for the foreseeable future. Athena was likely the girl's only hope on some days, so it couldn't be helped. She was roped into all manners of tricks, each requiring more practice than the last.

That day, Simon had come early at Athena's request to 'rescue' her and minimize the chances of her having to stay overtime. The show's rehearsal wasn't due to end for at least another ten minutes or so, and the area outside the theater was markedly quiet as a result.

Occasionally he saw a jogger passing through. He noticed camera flashes a few times from when tourists took pictures of Penrose's unique building structures. He was probably caught in some of them, brooding in the background, but otherwise, everyone seemed to go about their business and left him well alone. Taka, his faithful companion and a bird of prey, likely didn't help in making him seem approachable, but he was grateful for it. It was peaceful, and he was content to kill time while quietly observing.

Then a loud, brightly-dressed street artist caught his attention as he walked by. The man had an easel set up in front of him along with a myriad of paints, sporting the ugliest yellow smock Simon ever did see, and as soon as he opened his mouth, Simon knew it was all over.

They made eye contact only for a brief moment, but that was all it took.

"Pssst. Hey—"

Simon pretended like he didn't hear him. He had to at least try. Taka additionally let out a disapproving squawk in the artist's direction, but he apparently did not plan to give up so easily.

"Hey, hey, buddy! I think your bird likes me."

Simon paused in his tracks. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and turned around without missing a beat. His lip twitched and he spoke as threateningly as he could: "I think he'd like to have you for dinner."

The artist actually laughed. He had no idea how serious Simon really was. Studying him more closely, Simon noticed the light brown spikes of his hair, and the odd dabs of paint that somehow splashed their way up there. The artist's hand just barely stuck out of his smock, and he waved it back and forth in a childish manner.

"Good one," he said, waving Simon off completely. "Look, I know I don't look like much, but you've gotta listen. I'm a famous artist, see?"

Simon folded his arms, tone deadpan: "A famous artist."

"Yeah! Haven't you heard of _Franzy's Whip Lash Splash_?!"

"No."

His shoulders slumped at the immediate denial. His head hung low as he recovered from the frustration, but he looked back up at him again quickly enough. "I'm Laurice. Laurice Deauxnim!"

"What is your point?" Simon asked, patience thinning.

At this, Laurice felt like he was finally getting somewhere. He took a deep breath. "My point is, I want to draw . . . your bird!"

He flashed Simon a thumb's up with way more confidence than a man like him should have. It took a moment. Simon glanced at Taka on his shoulder, and then back at Laurice disbelievingly. "You want to draw Taka."

"Yes! Is that his name?" Laurice asked. Without waiting for a reply: "Anyway, you've just gotta let me! When inspiration hits, an artist just has to go with it—strike, while the easel is hot!"

Whatever expression he was going for, he definitely missed the mark. Simon scoffed.

"You make no sense, but I don't claim to understand the whims of an artist," he replied coldly. If it weren't for the fact that he seemed to be showing Taka great appreciation, he would never give such a cretin the time of day. And yet . . . he went on to ask: "How long will it take you?"

"Wh-Wha— Huh?" Laurice stammered, completely floored by the fact that he seemed to be agreeing.

" _The picture._ How long?"

"Oh!" Nervously, Laurice looked at his watch. Then his easel, then Taka. "Twenty minutes?"

Simon narrowed his eyes, appearing skeptical. "You have fifteen," he said. He raised his shoulder slightly as he glanced at his companion again. "And only if he agrees."

"O . . . kay," Laurice replied, with skepticism of his own. "I don't speak bird, but you've got yourself a deal."

"Hmpth."

Taka didn't seem to oppose, at least. It took a moment to set everything up; something about finding 'the right setting' or some nonsense, which involved a bit of walking and more time-wasting. Luckily, the area outside Penrose was quite scenic and serene, so they didn't have to go far. When Laurice finally seemed satisfied with a place, Simon continued to humor him as he began.

It was easy at first. Simon played the part of a statue perfectly, and Laurice didn't even seem to mind whenever Taka got impatient, flapped his wings, or even flew around a little. He never strayed far from his master, of course, so that kept the art progress going smoothly.

At the ten minute mark, both subjects appeared a little restless, not at all helped by Laurice's loud humming and over-the-top gestures as he worked. Nevertheless, he assured them he was 'almost done,' and kept saying so for the remainder of his allotted time.

"Ta-da!"

Finally! Simon hadn't actually kept track, but he was certain he'd been waiting far longer than fifteen minutes. He looked up expectantly to see Laurice hurriedly dabbing on some final touches.

"Well?"

"Just a minute, just a minute," he murmured. "No rushing art. Now then . . . ahem." He cleared his throat. If he kept it up, Simon thought, he wouldn't have a throat to clear for much longer; but luckily for the both of them, the easel was soon turned and he was allowed to see the fruits of the poor artist's labor.

For a moment, Simon was actually . . . stunned. For all his childish habits and remarks, there was actually an alluring quality to his artwork that he hated to admit captivated him. The colors he chose were warm and vibrant. It was so unlike him and Taka both, and yet each stroke was clear and elegant, which was not a word Simon ever thought he would use in the same sentence as his own name.

It was something right out of a picture book for children.

"You like it, huh?" Laurice grinned, and he dared wink at him. Simon's expression hardened as he caught himself, and he met the fool's eyes with an icy stare. "You can have it, you know . . . for a small fee. I'll give you a good deal. Consider it my thanks, for you being my muse and all!"

'A small fee.' Somehow Simon failed to remember that these goons actually charge for their time and services.

"If you let me have it, I'll allow you to live," he said flatly. "I'd say that's a fair trade."

"Whaaat?!" Laurice looked slain, and he clutched his chest. Was he actually crying? "You mean . . . you won't pay me? Oh, man . . . free work again . . . ?!"

His dejected look was sad and pathetic. He blubbered on for a few more moments before Simon put him out of his misery, retrieving his wallet in annoyed silence. He had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

"Shut up," he said. He practically threw his payment, and Laurice hurried to pick it up off the ground, like scraps.

It was more than he was expecting. If Simon was paying what he thought the painting was worth, it was actually a compliment, in a way. Not that Laurice was going to say anything.

"Oh, man. Thanks! You're a total life saver."

Simon smirked, walking over to retrieve what would be his newest wall decoration. "Now, I suggest you leave before I change my mind."

Laurice scrambled to his feet, stuffing his payment in his pocket. He sighed in relief, despite the threat, and even dared to laugh, as if they were just joking around together. It was then he got another good look at Simon, and familiarity finally hit him.

"Hey, now that I think about it . . . don't I know you from somewhere?" he asked.

"No."

It was a lie—or at least, very probably. Simon knew how much publicity he had gotten, prosecuting despite being branded a murderer; ending the Dark Age of the Law. If he had no idea, though, Simon certainly wasn't going to tell him.

"Uh, right." Wisely, Laurice took his answer for what it was. ". . . See ya!"

Simon thought he heard something like 'thanks again' as the man quickly packed up his things and slinked away, proverbial tail between his legs. Just then, a crowd seemed to be gathering outside Penrose Theater, and he knew that to be his cue. More and more people were walking out of the double doors.

The rehearsal was over.

With his new painting in hand, he approached quietly from the side, waiting a small distance away. He held the painting up so that Taka could see it too, who pecked at it curiously before deciding to ignore it. Only then did a familiar head of red hair approach. His lowered the painting again when he saw her, but not before taking one final look, and he realized what struck him so about the colors that were used.

They were Athena's colors. Reds, yellows, that dash of blue.

". . . What?" she asked, when she noticed his stare (and lack of greeting).

"Nothing."

Hiding his smirk, he began to walk and quickly led her away from the building as she began to nag him for a better answer. Immediately, she noticed the painting and reached for it, but he resisted, just because he could. He could hardly believe it, but he appreciated the painting that much more now.

It would easily be the brightest thing in his office.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Sorry for the wait (again)! I can't believe it's been about a month now, jeez._

 _I decided to choose a sillier-toned one to post next, so I hope it was worth it and put a smile on your face. I had my doubts about writting Larry because it's Larry, but it was actually a ton of fun._

 _To those I missed responding to last time, I apologize, but let me know what you think? Thanks for reading, as always! c:_


	19. Morning Routine

**Title:** Morning Routine  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** What hobbies or side interests are most important to her?  
 **Characters:** Athena Cykes, OC (female)  
 **Word Count:** 1,051  
 **Summary:** Sharing a room with Athena means accepting certain things, her roommate quickly learns. Like being woken up before sunrise.  
 **Notes:** Takes place when Athena is studying in Europe.

* * *

Today would be different, Athena thought. Today, she would get out of bed and start things off right.

There would be no untangling herself clumsily from her blankets, no tripping on thin air. She certainly wouldn't stub her toe (again), and even if she did, she surely wouldn't have to curse so loudly this time. Today, her roommate wouldn't even know she was there, and Athena would slip out the door for her morning run before either of them could say _Guten tag._

That was the plan, anyway.

Her criminal law textbook, still open to the page she'd been trying to read last night (keyword: trying), had other ideas. As she took a deep breath, springing up from her bed like jack in the box, her covers shifted and gravity took its toll. The book, as heavy as it was thick, fell to the ground with a _thud_ , and she gasped, suddenly remembering that it had been there.

And she knew it was all over.

"Oops," was all she could manage. She could already see her roommate turning in her sleep. For some several seconds, she stared in vain hope that the girl had slept through the commotion, but she knew better. ". . . Good morning, Clare," Athena whispered apologetically.

Clare didn't reply. Her wavy dark hair continued to cover her face as she coughed. Perhaps she was hoping the cheery redhead would take the hint, but for being so apologetic, Athena certainly didn't have an qualms about blathering on. Maybe it was something in her gentle heartbeat that gave her away . . .

"It's okay," Athena said softly. "You don't have to pretend to be asleep."

"Mmf," Clare groaned, when it was evident she wasn't going to ignore her.

Athena laughed nervously (something she did often, when she didn't know how to react to something), and Clare turned again, opening her eyes groggily. It wasn't an expression of anger; they'd been rooming together for a week, and already she was getting used to this. Rather, it was the same look of confusion and disbelief she wore when she first found out about Athena's morning routine.

She would never understand.

"What?" Clare asked. It was dark, but she could still make out Athena's silhouette. "I can feel you staring."

"Nothing," Athena said. She smiled her usual smile, shaking her head. "Just—um, sorry for waking you up. Again."

Athena finally moved to turn on a small lamp at her bedside to brighten the room. Her eyes squinted in protest as she dangled her feet off the bed, and across the room, she could see Clare sitting up, tugging a few strands of hair out of her mouth and coughing. Athena giggled.

She reminded her of Junie. An angry, sassier Junie.

"You know, it _is_ okay to sleep in every once and a while," Clare said suddenly.

Athena took it as her cue to finally pick up the textbook from the floor.

"Huh?" She feigned innocence and the book went right back on her bed, where it could fall again. She wasn't thinking about that, though, the incident all but forgotten as quickly as it had come.

"I get running," Clare continued, "but every morning? You must have someone waiting for you on that track."

 _Someone._

"N-No way. You know it's not like that," Athena protested. She was grinning, embarrassed nonetheless at the implications—even when there barely were any. Clare didn't use the word 'boyfriend' at all, but she may as well have. It was moments like these she remembered that Athena was actually way younger than she'd have you believe.

"Okay. What's it like, then?" Clare countered. She had a smile forming at her lips despite the disinterest behind her voice.

Athena could only smile in return, and after a quiet moment, as mischievously as she could manage: "Why not just come with me and find out?"

Clare's smile died, along with any curiosity she may have had. Clare sunk back into her sheets then, shutting her eyes with a sigh. "No thanks."

"You're no fun," Athena pouted, seeing this reaction, and walked over to Clare's bed. "Why not? You're already awake anyway."

"My class isn't 'til ten. Unlike you, I believe in going back to sleep," Clare mumbled. "At least until the sun's out."

The sun . . .

Athena's gaze wandered towards the window then. Clare was right, of course; it was always dark when she woke up for her run, but she never questioned it before. She rather enjoyed jogging by the dying light of the moon and stars, even as the cold air smothered her face. Before she knew it, it became a routine, and she couldn't remember when or why it started.

Why _did_ she enjoy running so much? It had to be more than just the adrenaline. It was more than just a rush, a habit. She thought about the days she overslept or had to skip out, how it felt like the entire world was off balance, how everyone was suddenly five steps ahead of her and leaving her behind. How there suddenly wasn't enough time for anything.

She breathed harder, realizing she was wasting time already just trying to explain it. So she pushed herself off Clare's bed (when did she start leaning on it?) and grinned to herself. She had another day to get dressed for, and a track with her name on it.

"It's just something I have to do," Athena finally offered, as if accepting that she wouldn't understand. Clare could hear dresser drawers opening, and she opened one eye skeptically to see Athena holding a bright yellow tracksuit—her usual. ". . . I mean, to stay ahead of the game, you know? To keep up the chase. 'Cause . . . well, maybe you're right."

Clare's skepticism only deepened at this. "I . . . am?"

Athena turned to meet her eyes with a mysterious smile. "There is someone waiting for me. Just . . . not in the way that you think."

Clare blinked once. Her eyes narrowed, her thoughts became muddied until she shook her head. "It's too early for riddles," she said. "Whoever it is, I hope they know how bad you are at sneaking around."

Athena could feel the blush coloring her cheeks as she chuckled. Her tone was sheepish, trailing off uncertainly as she went to change. "I'll work on that . . ."

* * *

 **A/N:** _Happy August! Did you miss me?_

 _I was a little selfconscious about writing an OC, but I think I like how it turned out, after some editing. I know it's not for everyone, so hopefully I gave enough warning? Fun trivia: this was actually the very first idea that I wrote for the challenge back in November. I originally titled it "The Chase" but changed it last minute._

 _Apologies as usual, for the wait and Simon's nonexistence in this particular piece, but I'll make up for it next time. Promise :) For those of you just tuning in, this is #19 of Therapy Sessions, my ongoing series about Athena and Simon._

 _Thank you so much for reading, your thoughts are very appreciated. ❤︎_


	20. Treasure

**Title:** Treasure  
 **Fandom:** Ace Attorney  
 **Prompt:** He has a box of things stashed away that he won't get rid of. What's in that box?  
 **Characters:** Simon Blackquill, Klavier Gavin  
 **Word Count:** 1,735  
 **Summary:** Another late night at the prosecutor's office, featuring Simon, his box of memories, and a troublesome meddling rockstar.

* * *

 _Dear Simon,_

 _They told me I could write you letters, so I guess that's the only way we can talk now. I've never had a pen pal before. Is this what it's like? (Well, I guess I won't know until you write me something back.)_

 _I can't believe it's only been a few weeks, when it feels like so much longer. I still don't remember much about that day. Only how much it hurt when they took you away. Also the way you lied about hurting mom, and how they all believed you. I keep trying to figure out why you did it, but I just don't get it._

 _And don't tell me to wait until I'm older. You know how bad I am at waiting._

 _It's OK, though. I know it wasn't you. I'll make it right again, so just hold on, OK?_

 _I'm gonna fix it._

 **O O O**

 _Hey Simon,_

 _I never heard back from you. I don't know if it's the prison's fault or the post office, but I guess I won't go breaking down any doors yet. It would be easier just to come see you in person, but they said you were refusing all your visitors. Why?_

 _Aren't you lonely?_

 _If I'm lonely, I can't imagine how you must feel. Then again, I haven't had very many visitors myself. I can't remember the last time I invited Junie over, and I think she's given up on calling me by now. I miss her, but . . . I don't know. I hear the way she worries about me all the time, and I can't help but think she's better without that stress in her life. She's probably taking it completely the wrong way, but I'll make it up to her someday._

 _Just like I'll make it up to you._

 _Will you hang on until that day comes?_

 **O O O**

 _Dear Simon,_

 _Wow, it's been a really long time. A couple years at least, right? Of course, it's hard to remember to write you when you don't write back. I never forgot you, though. Would you believe me if I told you I've been really busy?_

 _I know, I know, it was mostly all talk before, but I'm serious now. I actually go to school and everything. It's still hard . . . I still get overwhelmed sometimes, but I'm going to study law, and I'm going to prove that you're 500% innocent._

 _My classmates this year are really nice. I'd like to stick with them and get to know them better, but I've been doing research and I think I'm going to apply to some schools over in Europe instead. Maybe studying how their courtroom brawls play out will give me a bit of an edge over here. Most of them say I have to be eighteen, but there's no way I can wait three more years._

 _Think I can convince them? I'm a pretty good actress. I think._

 **O O O**

 _Hello from the Brisham University of Law, Simon!_

 _I'm officially their youngest student ever. Are you proud of me?_

 _Anyway, I only just moved in, so it's going to be busy for a while. My roommate's name is Clare, and we start classes next week. I hope things are okay on your end. I mean, relatively speaking. I'm really starting to worry about you. It's going to be harder to harass the prison guards about you now, but oh well._

 _As long as I keep writing, I feel like I'm getting closer to you._

 _By the way, happy birthday. I bet you thought I forgot. I'm really tired so I'm just going to leave it at that, but you'll hear from me again soon._

 _Jetlag sucks._

 **O O O**

 _Dear Simon_

 _I wish you'd write back so I know you're okay. Then maybe I'd be okay too._

 **O O O**

The letters were numerous. Sometimes Athena was diligent in sending them, and other times they came few and far between. How much she wrote varied, but the sentiment was always the same: she didn't want to forget about him, and she didn't want him to forget about her.

There were days when Simon felt weak. Days when he wanted to respond. He would pick up his favorite quill, the closest thing to a weapon he had in his lonely cell, but he would only get as far as a few scribbles before ultimately changing his mind.

As time went on, her letters read more and more like diary entries, full of stories and anecdotes about school, her friends, her progress in general. One day, he finally got a hold of an old shoe box, courtesy of one of his cell mates, and he started keeping the letters in there instead of beneath his pillow. It was beat up, dirty, and not at all suited to the vibrantly colored stationary Athena chose, but it had a lid, and it was the best he had.

Miraculously, he'd been allowed to keep the box throughout the years— though it was probably more accurate to say that he refused to let anyone throw it away. He dared them to pry it from his cold dead fingers, and unsurprisingly, when they discovered that the contents to be as anticlimactic as they were, no one took him up on his offer.

After he was freed, he took refuge with Athena in her apartment: a temporary arrangement, just until he could adjust to normal life again. He kept the box at his office in the prosecutor's building, where not even Miles Edgeworth took note of it or looked inside. If Athena remembered writing the letters at all, she didn't show it, and he decided not to bring it up either. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't know how. All he knew was that they were still important to him, and that he wouldn't know how to explain it if she somehow came across them.

"Herr Blackquill," a familiar voice called suddenly. Simon's concentration broke, and he quickly put the lid back in place as he peered across the room from where he sat at his desk. Only one person ever called him that, and they continued: "Late night?"

Klavier Gavin was the friendly sort, like Athena. Simon wasn't surprised she got along so well with him, but unfortunately, he couldn't say the same for himself. Their relationship wasn't a poor one either, though. It was rare that they butted heads. It was just also rare that they spoke or interacted much at all, beyond mere greetings and daily pleasantries, so it came as a bit of a surprise that the rockstar would go out of his way to stop in for this little visit.

Then again, Simon was the one to leave his office door open. That was a mistake.

"Actually," he said, standing, "I was ready to leave."

"You and me both," Klavier responded playfully. "Keeping up with those case files is no walk in the park, ja?"

That, of course, had nothing to do with what he was doing, but Simon humored him and acknowledged him with something like a grunt. He walked over to grab his coat, and placed the box of letters back in its usual spot: the highest shelf, where it was out of view and safe from prying eyes and the nosy ilk they belonged to.

Speaking of those, Klavier was watching Simon as he approached the door. In his wisest move yet, he took a step back and out of the way.

"I always wonder why you don't take that thing home," Klavier murmured, which was perhaps not so wise.

Simon shut and locked the door behind him. Perhaps he should have just pretended not to hear him, but he found himself unable to ignore it. His voice is testy, but nothing out of the ordinary when he asks: "What thing?"

"That box, of course," Klavier nodded his head towards the door to indicate what he meant, but two sets of footprints rang out as the two men left it behind. "I can see it in your eyes whenever you look at it. Whatever is inside means a lot to you."

Simon's nails dug into his fist. He had no right to talk about what meant a lot to him or what did not. He was no therapist, and he certainly was not Athena, no matter how much she was rubbing off on him (and vice versa). Simon especially did not like the insinuation that Klavier had noticed him with the box before. He did not like to be so obvious. Nevertheless, Simon was civil, and even managed a polite smile when he responded.

Okay, so it came out more like a threatening smirk, but he decided it was close enough.

"No need to worry yourself," he told him as they walked. "I like it just fine where it is."

Klavier, as flippant as he could be at times, was pretty good at reading between the lines. He could tell that was, in fact, a very politely worded 'It's none of your business,' and if he didn't want to talk about it, that was fine by him. Still, no one could say his intentions weren't genuine. God forbid the cleaning lady mistakes it for trash.

He shrugged. They approached the exit, and Klavier certainly wasn't going to push the issue. "Alright," he conceded. "But if I may say one thing?"

Feeling his patience tested, Simon took a deep breath as he stepped into the cool night air. "And what is that?"

"Treasure," Klavier responded simply. There was a brief pause, but he continued when Simon gave him a pressing look of confusion. ". . . It is meant to be shared, ja? Think about it."

Simon frowned. Klavier shared the same eccentric way of thinking as Athena, at least, which made it kind of easy for Simon to follow. After all, her letters _were_ as precious to him as treasure was, and that, he couldn't deny. Sharing it, though, was a different beast all together. Just like a pirate, he wasn't sure he'd ever want to do that.

"Thank you for your words of wisdom," Simon said flatly, unable to mask the sarcasm.

"Good night, Herr Blackquill," Klavier replied. "Until tomorrow."

His tone remained as pleasant as ever. They went their separate ways, but his words echoed in Simon's mind in that nagging way he hated, despite his outright dismissal of them.

Sharing. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Lordie, I've wanted to post this for weeks but I just keep getting distracted and putting it off. My apologies as usual, but here makes #20 (!), WOOO. It's another one of my personal favorites, so I hope you enjoyed it._

 _The last letter I featured written by Athena is very short and I have it in my head that she wrote that after she failed some test or was otherwise struggling academically. I didn't really get a chance to clarify that in the narrative, though - and didn't want the letters to get too repetitive, so I figure it was enough to just imply that there are a ton of others letters just like these. Hopefully it's still impactful._

 _Thank you so much for reading! Comments & feedback are always appreciated._


End file.
